THE LADY FERN AND ITS KIN


1. THE LADY FERNS

Fronds one to three feet high, broadly lanceolate, or ovate-oblong,
tapering towards the apex, bipinnate. Pinnæ lanceolate, numerous. Pinnules
oblong-lanceolate, cut-toothed or incised. Fruit-dots short, variously
curved. Indusium delicate, often reniform, or shaped like a horseshoe, in
some forms confluent at maturity.

Widely distributed, common and varying greatly in outline. The newer
nomenclature separates the lady fern of our section into two distinct
species, which should be carefully studied.[A]

[Footnote A: See monograph by F.K. Butters in _Rhodora_ of September,
1917.]

(1) THE UPLAND LADY FERN. ATHÝRIUM ANGÚSTUM

_Asplènium Fìlix-femina_

The rootstock or rhizome of the Upland Lady Fern here pictured shows how
the thick, fleshy bases of the old fronds conceal the rootstock itself. In
the Lowland Lady Fern the rootstock is but slightly concealed by old stipe
bases, and so may be distinguished from its sister fern.

One design of such rootstocks is to store up food (mostly starch), during