THE ROYAL FERN. 
161 
face of the water by the side of which they prefer to 
grow. From these panicles, springing like clusters of 
flowers from the ends of the fronds, comes its name of 
Flowering Fern. 
The fronds of the Flowering Fern grow to an aver- 
age height of three or four feet, sometimes even to the 
royal stature of eight, ten, or twelve, and six feet or 
more across. The caudex is tufted, in very old and 
vigorous plants forming a trunk a foot or more above 
the ground, from the crown of which, whether it is 
close to the ground or elevated, grow the fronds. 
When young, these fronds have generally a reddish 
stipes, with a bloomy surface, the bloom being lost at 
a later period. They are annual, perishing before the 
coming of winter, smooth and of a bright yellow green, 
paler beneath, lanceolate in general outline when 
mature, bipinnate, the pinnae lanceolate or ovate- 
lanceolate, with pinnules oblong-ovate, somewhat au- 
ricled at the base, especially on the posterior side, 
bluntish at the apex, and finely serrated along the 
margin. Some of the fronds are entirely barren, while 
others- have several of the upper pinnae transformed 
into terminal fertile panicles. Each short spike-like 
branch of the panicles (or flower-clusters) represents 
one of the pinnules, the spore-cases being collected on 
it in little knots, more or less evident, these knots (or 
nodules) corresponding to the fascicles of the veins. 
This is very plainly seen in partially-transformed pin- 
nules. The venation, as seen in the barren fronds, 
consists of a stout midvein giving off nearly opposite 
veins, which are forked once near their base, the 
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