How to Know the Ferns
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PEFEKNS I :::ia:m:\_ BY FRANCES PARSONS A\^ THOK \jr HOW^ TO KNGV THE MUD FLO WEP^S ^tvo lark ?tatE (^allege of Agriculture At Q^ornell MntBcrattH ICibrarg *''^ *^'"®'' "°]U.m.,'*"°'*' 3 guide to the nam 3 1924 000 582 050 The original of tliis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924000582050 : " -J ^j. 'The cheerful community of the polypody." How to Know the Ferns A GUIDE TO THE NAMES, HAUNTS, AND HABITS OF OUR COMMON FERNS By Frances Theodora Parsons Author of "How to Know the Wild Flowen" "According^ to Season" etc. Illustrated by Marion Satterlee and Alice Josephine Smith SEVENTH EDITION CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS NEW YORK CHICAGO BOSTON Qa}~ CofyirigU, i89<), by Charles Scribner's Sons J. R. P. "If it were required to know tbe position of the fruit- dots ^ tbe character of the indusium, nothing could he easier than to ascertain it; but if it is required that jiou he affected hy ferns, that they amount to anything, signify anything to you, that they he another sacred scripture and revelation to you, helping to redeem your life, this end it not so easily accon^lishtd." —THOREM) PREFACE Since the publication, six years ago, of " How to Know the Wild Flowers," I have received such con- vincing testimony of the eagerness of nature-lovers of all ages and conditions to familiarize themselves with the inhabitants of our woods and fields, and so many assurances of the joy which such a familiarity aSords, that I have prepared this companion volume on " How to Know the Ferns." It has been my ex- perience that the world of delight which opens before us when we are admitted into some sort of intimacy with our companions other than human is enlarged with each new society into which we win our way. It seems strange that the abundance of ferns everywhere has not aroused more curiosity as to their names, haunts, and habits. Add to this abun- dance the incentive to their study afforded by the fact that owing to the comparatively small number of species we can familiarize ourselves with a large PREFACE proportion of our native ferns during a single sum- mer, and it is still more surprising that so few efforts have been made to bring them within easy reach of the public. the 1 wish to acknowledge my indebtedness to many books on our native ferns which I have con- sulted, but more especially to Gray's " Manual," to Eaton's " Ferns of North America," to the " Illus- trated Flora" of Messrs. Britton and Brown, to Mr. Underwood's "Our Native Ferns," to Mr. William- son's "Ferns of Kentucky," to Mr. Dodge's "Ferns and Fern Allies of New England," and to that excel- lent little quarterly, which I recommend heartily to all fern-lovers, the " Fern Bulletin," edited by Mr. Willard Clute, of Binghamton, N. Y. To the State Botanist, Dr. Charles H. Peck, who has kindly read the proof-sheets of this book, I am indebted for many suggestions ; also to Mr. Arthur G. Clement, of the University of the State of New York. To Miss Marion Satterlee thanks are due not only for many suggestions, but also for the descriptions of the Woodwardias. The pen-and-ink illustrations are all from original drawings by Miss Satterlee and Miss Alice Jose- •vi PREFACE phine Smith. The photographs have been furnished by Miss Murray Ledyard, Miss Madeline Smith, and Mr. Augustus Pruyn. In almost all cases I have followed the nomencla- ture of Gray's " Manual " as being the one which would be familiar to the majority of my readers, giving in parentheses that used in the " Illustrated Flora" of Messrs. Britton and Brown. Frances Theodora Parsons Albany, March 6, 1899 via " Tbe more thou Uarnest to know and to enjoy, the more full and complete will be for tbee tbe delight of living." CONTENTS Page Preface vii Ferns as a Hobby / IVhen and Where to Find Ferns . .75 Explanation of Terms 28 Fertilisation, Development, and Fructification of Ferns 52 Notable Fern Families 36 How to Use the Book ^8 Guide 40 Fern Descriptions: Group I. 5^ Group II. 67 Group III. 57 Group ly. 10^ Group V. 120 Group VI. i^g CONTENTS Page Index to Latin Names 211 Index to English Names 213 Index to Technical Terms . .21^ ^ LIST OF PLATES *#* The actual sizes of/ems are tiot given in tJie illustrations. For this informatioTi see the corresponding description. PLATE PAGE I. Sensitive Fern, . Onoclea sensibilis^ ... 57 II. Ostrich Fern, Onoclea Siruthiopteris, . 59 III. Cinnamon Fern, . Osvninda cinnarnomea, . 61 IV. Curly Grass, . Schiztsa pusilla, . 65 V. Royal Fern, . Osmiinda regaliSy ... 69 VI. Interrupted Fern, Osviunda Claytoniana, . 73 VII. Adder's Tongue, Opiiioglossum vulgatum, . 79 VIII. Teknate Grape Fern, ... BotryckiiDii temaUijn, 83 IX. Moonwort, .... Boirychhtvi Lunaria, ... 85 Lance-leaved Grape Fern, .... Botrychiuvi lanceolattim, . 85 X. Purple Cliff Brake, . Pellaa atropurpurea, . 91 XI. Narrow-leaved Spleenwort, . Asplenium angustifolimn, . 99 XII. Net-veined Chain Fern, .... Woodwardia angitstifoHa, . 103 XIII. Hairy Lip Fern, . Cheilanthes vesiita, . .113 XIV. Hay-scented Fern, Dlcksotiia pitositiscula^ . 115 XV. Lady Fern, .... Asplenium Filix-fcemina, . 121 XVI. Silvery Spleenwort, Asplenium ihelypleroides, . 125 XVII. Rue Spleenwort, . Asplenium Ruta-nniraria . 127 XVIII. Mountain Spleen- WORT, Asplenium niontanum, 131 XIX. Ebony Spleenwort, . Asplenium ebeneum, . 135 XXI. Scott's Spleenwort. Asplenium ebenoides^ . 141 XX. Green Spleenwort, Asplenium viride^ . 139 XXII. Pinnatifid Spleen- WORT, .... Asplenium pinnatijidum . 143 XXIII. Bradley's Spleen- wort, Asplenium Bradleyi, , . 145 LIST OF PLATES PLATS PAGE XXIV. Virginia Chain Fern, Woodwardia Virginica, . .157 XXV. New York Fern, . Aspidium Noveboracense, . 161 XXVI. Marsh Fern, . Aspidium Thefypteris, . 163 XXVII. Spinulose Wood Fern, Aspidium spinuhsum, var, intermedium, . 165 XXVIII. Boott's Shield Fern, Aspidium Soottii, .... 167 XXIX. Crested Shield Fern, Aspidium cristatum, . 169 XXX. Clinton's Wood Fern, Aspidium cristatum, var. Clintonianum, . 171 XXXI. Goldie's Fern, . Aspidium Goldianum, . 173 XXXII. Evergreen Wood Fern, Aspidium marginale, . .175 XXXIII. Fragrant Shield Fern, Aspidium fragrans, . , -179 XXXIV. Braun's Holly Fern, Aspidium aculeatum, var. Braunii, 183 XXXV. Broad Beech Fern, Phegopteris hexagonoptera, . 189 XXXVI. Oak Fern, .... Phegopteris Dryopteris, . 191 XXXVII. Bulblet Bladder Fern, Cystopteris bulbifera, . .195 XXXVIII. Fragile Bladder Fern, Cystopteris fragilis, . 197 XXXIX. Rusty Woodsia, . Woodsia Ilvensis, . 199 XL. Blunt-lobed Wood- sia Woodsia obtusa, .... 201 XLI. Northern Woodsia, JVoodsia hyperborea, . 205 XLII. Smooth Woodsia, . Woodsia glabella, . 207 xU LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS • " Frontispiect ' The cheerful community of the polypody . Prom u photograph by Miss Madeline Smith. Page New York Fern xvi " The greatest charm the ferns possess is that of their surroundings" 12 From a photograph by Mr. Augustus Pruyn. Fiddleheads 18 Fragile Bladder Fern 19 Crested Shield Fern 20 Purple Cliff Brake 22 Ternate Grape Fern 24 Evergreen Wood Fern 27 Sensitive Fern ^^ Cinnamon Fern 60 Royal Fern 68 Interrupted Fern -74 CLimhing Fern y^ Rattlesnake Fern 80 Slender Cliff Brake 8g " The unpromising wall of rock which rose beside us" , g^f From a pRotograph by Miss Ledyard ziii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Pagi More compoundfrond of Purple Cliff Brake . g^ Christmas Fern 97 Narrow-leaved Spleenwort g8 Brake 106 Maidenhair . 1 10 Mountain Spleenwort /_J0 Mountain Spleenwort /_J2 " In the shaded crevices of a cliff " . .1^2 From a photograph by Miss Madeline Smith. Maidenhair Spleenwort i^j Walking Leaf 146 " We fairly gloated over the quaint little plants " .148 From a photograph by Miss Ledyard. Hart's Tongue 75/ Marsh Fern 162 " " Like the plumes of departing Summer . .178 From u. photograph by Miss Madeline Smith. Common Polypody 184 Long Beech Fern i8y Oak Fern igt Bulhlet Bladder Fern ig4 How to Know the Ferns New York Fern FERNS AS A HOBBY I THINK it is Charles Lamb who says that every man should have a hobby, if it be nothing better than collecting strings. A man with a hobby turns to account the spare moments. A holiday is a de- light instead of a bore to a man with a hobby. Thrown out of his usual occupations on a holiday, the average man is at a loss for employment. Pro- vided his neighbors are in the same fix, he can play cards. But there are hobbies and hobbies. As an occasional relaxation, for example, nothing can be said against card-playing. But as a hobby it is not much better than " collecting strings." It is neither broadening mentally nor invigorating physically, and it closes the door upon other interests which are both. 1 remember that once, on a long sea-voyage, I envied certain of my fellow-passengers who found amuse- ment in cards when the conditions were such as to make almost any other occupation out of the ques- tion. But when finally the ship's course lay along a strange coast, winding among unfamiliar islands, by shores luxuriant with tropical vegetation and sprinkled with strange settlements, all affording de- FERNS AS A HOBBY light to the eye and interest to the mind, these players who had come abroad solely for instruction and pleasure could not be enticed from their tables, and I thanked my stars that I had not fallen under the stultifying sway of cards. Much the same grati- tude is aroused when I see men and women spending precious summer days indoors over the card-table when they might be breathing the fragrant, life- giving air, and rejoicing in the beauty and interest of the woods and fields. All things considered, a hobby that takes us out of doors is the best. The different open-air sports may be classed under this head.