17 
Sub=Family 4, Osmundaceae. 
In the North Temperate zone but one genus, viz : 
OSMUND A L. 
Sporangia pedicelled, no ring, opening across the apex into two 
valves. Fronds tall, from large crowns ; fruiting portion of 
fertile frond much contracted ; spores green 
170 O. regalis L Boyal Fern. Flowering Fern. Frond 1-6 
feet high ; laminae bipinnate ; sterile pinnae with several or many 
pairs of usually lance-oblong serrulate pinnules. Pinnules very 
variable. Fruiting panicle terminal, often 12 inches long, brown, 
sometimes quite leafy or even the whole upper half leafy. Com- 
mon in swamps and damp places. Distributed throughout the 
world. 
V 
17 s. O. Claytoniana L. Clayton’s Fern. Fronds 1-4 feet 
high ; laminae once pinnate ; pinnae linear-lanceolate, pinnatifid ; 
divisions oblong, obtuse. Fertile fronds taller than the sterile, 
having 1-5 pairs of the intermediate pinnae contracted and bearing 
sporangia ; fronds bluish-green. Pastures and thin woods ; not as 
common as the next North American May. 
172. O. cinnamomea L Cinnamon Fern. Sterile fronds 1-5 
feet long, lamina 1 pinnate ; pinnae lanceolate, pinnatifid ; divisions 
oblong, obtuse Fertile fronds 6 inches to 2 feet long, contracted, 
bearing above the cinnamon-colored sporangia, and clothed below 
with cinnamon-colored wool; soon perishing, Very common in 
pastures, swamps and low grounds. Late May. North and South 
America and Japan. 
Plants of all the species of Osmunda are found in some situa- 
tions, fruiting when only five or six inches high. 
