188 
BRITISH FERNS. 
The royal infants of this princely fern are as beautiful 
and characteristic as any young nobility can be. The 
seedling puts up single ivy-shaped fronds upon a long 
stem, and no one would guess that the clusters of long- 
stalked ivy-like leaves could bear any relation to the 
pinnate branches of the almost arborescent fern which 
tower over them. The striking contrast may be seen in 
the herbarium at the British Museum, where the infant 
seedling reposes beside the fully developed fruit-bearing 
form of the mature plant. 
The legend which, according to some authors, gave 
the name of Osmunda to this fern, is of some interest. 
A waterman called Osmund dwelt on the banks of 
Loch Tyne, along with his wife and young daughter, 
who was fair as blue eyes and flaxen locks could make 
her, and withal graceful and fleet of foot as a young 
deer. The good man was plying his boat on the Loch, 
and the girl and her mother sat on the bank watching 
the dip of the oars and the reflections in the water, when 
a noise as of the approach of armed men was heard, and 
the poor waterman rowed hastily to the shore, filled with 
the dread inspired by every threatening of the ruthless 
Danes. With all speed he hurried his wife and child 
into the boat, and pulled lustily for the nearest island, 
where he bade them lie down among the tall flowering- 
fern. They had just entered the covert when the Danes 
appeared on the shore, and authoritatively beckoned 
Osmund. He obeyed their behest, and they bade him 
put their troops across the Loch. Right eagerly he 
laboured at the oars, carrying one boatful after another 
past the island where his loved ones lay concealed, and 
right joyously did his heart beat as he put the last group 
on the opposite shore. They wend their way in peace, 
