THE ROYAL FERN. 
leaflets. These leaflets are oblong in shape, with 
broadish bases and obtuse points. In the centre 
of the base of each leaflet there is a slight hollow 
corresponding with the line of its mid-vein, the 
continuation of which forms a stem so short, how- 
ever, as to be scarcely perceptible without close 
inspection, but forming a connecting link with 
the stem of the branch. If you hold the frond 
of the Osmunda against the light and look 
through the leaflets, you will see a really beauti- 
ful arrangement of veins. There are two kinds 
of fronds in the Flowering Fern — barren and fer- 
tile. It is the barren frond which we have been 
describing. In the fertile frond the lower portion 
is similar to the barren frond, but in the upper 
portion the leaflets are contracted, and bear on 
their backs dense clusters of seed-cases. At first 
green, these seed- cases gradually become light 
brown in colour, and then they almost com- 
pletely hide the contracted leaflets on which they 
are borne. At this stage they have somewhat 
the appearance of a flower at the top of the 
frond ; thus giving some reason for the name 
which has been affixed to this species. In 
253 
