The Fern Lover's Companion Part 11

Fronds lanceolate, pinnate, one to three feet high growing in a crown from a s.h.a.ggy rootstock. Pinnae lanceolate, tapering from base to apex. Pinnules oblong, obtuse, serrate at the apex, obscurely so at the sides, the basal incisely lobed, distant, the upper confluent. Fruit-dots large, nearer the mid vein than the margin, mostly on the lower half of each fertile segment.

The male fern resembles the marginal shield fern in outline, but the fronds are thinner, are not evergreen, and the sori are near the midvein. Its use in medicine is of long standing. Its rootstock produces the well-known _flix-mas_ of the pharmacist. This has tonic and astringent properties, but is mainly prescribed as a vermifuge, which is one of the names given to it. In Europe it is regarded as the typical fern, being oftener mentioned and figured than any other. In rocky woods, Canada, Northfield, Vt., and northwest to the great lakes, also in many parts of the world.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Male Fern. _Aspidium Filix-mas_ (Vermont)]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 33G. _Aspidium filix mas_ 1, Ill.u.s.tration exhibiting general habit; a, young leaves: 2, transverse section of rhizome showing the conducting bundles a: 3, portion of the leaf bearing sori; a indusium b, sporangia; 4, longitudinal; 5, transverse section of a soris; a, leaf; b, indusium; c, sporangia: 6, a single sporangium; a, stalk; c, annulus; d, spores. (After WOSSIDLO OFFICINAL) From a German print, giving details]

(3) GOLDIE'S FERN

_Aspidium Goldianum_. THELYPTERIS GOLDIaNA _Dryopteris Goldiana. Nephrodium Goldianum_

Fronds two to four feet high and often one foot broad, pinnate, broadly ovate, especially the sterile ones. Pinnae deeply pinnatifid, broadest in the middle. The divisions (eighteen or twenty pairs) oblong-linear, slightly toothed. Fruit-dots very near the midvein. Indusium large, orbicular, with a deep, narrow sinus. Scales dark brown to nearly black with a peculiar silky l.u.s.tre.

A magnificent species, the tallest and largest of the wood ferns. It delights in rich woodlands where there is limestone. Its range is from Canada to Kentucky. While not common, there are numerous colonies in New England. It is reported from Fairfield, Me., Spencer and Mt. Toby, Ma.s.s., and frequently west of the Connecticut River. We have often admired a large and beautiful colony of it on the west side of Willoughby Mountain in Vermont. It is easily cultivated and adds grace and dignity to a fern garden.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Goldie's Shield Fern. _Aspidium Goldianum_ (Vermont, 1874.

C.G. Pringle) (Herbarium of G.E. Davenport)]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Goldie's Fern (From Woolson's "Ferns," Doubleday, Page & Co.)]

(4) THE CRESTED FERN

_Aspidium cristatum_. THELPTERIS CRISTaTA

_Dryopteris cristata. Nephrodium cristatum_

Fronds one to two feet long, linear-oblong or lanceolate, pinnate, acute.

Pinnae two to three inches long, broadest at the base, triangular-oblong, or the lowest triangular. Divisions oblong, obtuse, finely serrate or cut-toothed, those nearest the rachis sometimes separate. Fruit-dots large, round, half way between the midvein and the margin. Indusium smooth, naked, with a shallow sinus.

The short sterile fronds, though spreading out gracefully, are conspicuous only in winter; while the fertile fronds, tall, narrow and erect, are found only in summer.

It is one of our handsomest evergreen ferns and even the large sori, with their dark spore cases and white indusia, are very attractive. The fertile pinnae have a way of turning their faces upward toward the apex of the frond for more light. In moist land, Canada to Kentucky.

Var. _Clintonianum_. Clinton's Wood Fern. Resembles the type, but is in every way larger. Divisions eight to sixteen pairs. Fruit-dots near the midvein, the sides of the sinus often overlapping. South central Maine to New York and westward. "Rare in New England attaining its best development in western sections." (Dodge.) Mt. Toby, Ma.s.s., Hanover, N.H. July. Fine for cultivation.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Crested Shield Fern. _Aspidium cristatum_ (Reading, Ma.s.s., Kingman)]

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Crested Shield Fern. _Aspidium cristatum_]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Clinton's Wood Fern. _Aspidium cristatum_, var.

_Clintonianum_ (Gray Herbarium)]

CRESTED MARGINAL FERN

_Aspidium cristatum X marginale_

Both the crested fern and Clinton's fern appear to hybridize with the marginal shield fern with the result that the upper part of the frond is like _marginale_ and the lower like _cristatum_, including the veining and texture.

This form was discovered by Raynal Dodge, verified by Margaret Slosson and described by Geo. E. Davenport, who had a small colony under cultivation in his fern garden at Medford, Ma.s.s., and to him the writer and other friends are indebted for specimens.

Found occasionally throughout New England and New Jersey. Other supposed hybrids have been found between the marginal shield and the spinulose fern and its variety _intermedium_, and with Goldie's fern; also between the crested fern, including Clinton's variety and each of the others mentioned; and, in fact, between almost all pairs of species of the wood ferns, although we do not think they have been positively verified. Still other species of ferns are known to hybridize more or less, as we saw in the case of Scott's spleenwort.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Crested Marginal Fern. A Hybrid. _Aspidium Cristatum X marginale_ (Fernery of Geo. E. Davenport)]

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Aspidium cristatum X marginale_ One of the very best for cultivation]

(5) BOOTT'S SHIELD FERN

_Aspidium Boottii_. THELPTERIS BOOTTII

_Dryopteris Boottii. Nephrodium Boottii_

Fronds one to three feet high, oblong-lanceolate, bipinnate, the upper pinnae lanceolate, the lower triangular with spinulose teeth. Sori in rows each side of the midvein, one to each tooth and often scattering on the lower pinules. Indusium large, minutely glandular, variable.

This fern has been thought to be a hybrid between the crested and spinulose ferns, but is now regarded as distinct. Like the crested fern its fertile fronds wither in autumn, while its sterile blades remain green throughout the winter. It differs from it, however, by being twice pinnate below, and from the typical spinulose fern by its glandular indusium; but from the intermediate variety it is more difficult to separate it, as that also has indusiate glands. The collector needs to study authentic specimens and have in mind the type, with its rather long, narrow blade as an aid to the verbal description, and even then he will often find it an interesting puzzle. Shaded swamps throughout our area.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Aspidium Boottii_]

(6) SPINULOSE SHIELD FERN

_Aspidium spinulsum. THELPTERIS SPINULSA

Dryopteris spinulsa. Nephrodium spinulsum_

Stipes with a few pale brown deciduous scales. Fronds one to two and one-half feet long, ovate-lanceolate, twice pinnate. Pinnae oblique to the rachis, the lower ones broadly triangular, the upper ones elongated.

Pinnules on the inferior side of the pinnae often elongated, especially the lower pair, the pinnule nearest the rachis being usually the longest, at least in the lowest pinnae. Pinnules variously cut into spinulose-toothed segments. Indusium smooth, without marginal glands.

The common European type, but in this country far less common than its varieties. They all prefer rich, damp woods, and because of their graceful outline and spiny-toothed lobes are very attractive. They can be transplanted without great difficulty, and the fern garden depends upon them for its most effective lacework.

Var. _intermedium_ has the scales of the stipe brown with darker center.

Fronds ovate-oblong, often tripinnate. Pinnae spreading, oblong-lanceolate.

Pinnules pinnately cleft, the oblong lobes spinulose-toothed at the apex.

Margin of the indusium denticulate and beset with minute, stalked glands.

In woods nearly everywhere--our most common form. Millions of fronds of this variety are gathered in our northern woods, placed in cold storage and sent to florists to be used in decorations.[A] As long as the roots are not disturbed the crop is renewed from year to year, and no great harm seems to result. Canada to Kentucky and westward.

[Footnote A: _Horticulture_ reports that twenty-eight million fern leaves have been shipped from Bennington, Vt., in a single season; and that nearly $100,000 were paid out in wages.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Spinulose Shield Fern. _Aspidium spinulosum_ (Maine, 1877, Herbarium of Geo. E. Davenport)]

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Aspidium spinulosum_, var. _intermedium_]

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Aspidium spinulosum_, var. AMERICANUM]

A tripinnate form of this variety discovered at Concord, Ma.s.s., by Henry Purdie, has been named var. CONCORDIaNUM. It has small, elliptical, denticulate pinnules and a glandular-p.u.b.escent indusium.

Var. AMERICaNUM (=_dilatatum_, syn.). Fronds broader, ovate or triangular-ovate in outline. A more highly developed form of the typical plant, the lower pinnae being often very broad, and the fronds tripinnate.

Inferior pinnules on the lower pair of pinnae conspicuously elongated. A variety preferring upland woods; northern New England, Greenland to the mountains of North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Michigan and northward.