THE BRACKEN GROUP Sporangia near or on the margin of the segments, the reflexed portions of which serve as indusia.

In the east it is often dwarfedsix to ten inches high, growing in tufts with stout rootstocks, having the pinnules finely toothed instead of rounded and the indusia often lunate, rarely twice as long as broad.

(In Greek the word means lip flower, alluding to the lip-like indusia.) (1) ALABAMA LIP FERN.

Indusia pale, membranous and continuous except between the lobes.

Indusia ciliate, the cilia (hairs) ending in glands.

Pinnules toothed or entire nearly covered beneath with the large, thin, imbricated indusia which are orbicular with a narrow sinus, having the margins ragged and sparingly glanduliferous.

Although the genus Polýstichum represents the true shield ferns, the wood ferns are also thus designated, as their indusia have nearly the shape of small, roundish shields.

It is one of our handsomest evergreen ferns and even the large sori, with their dark spore cases and white indusia, are very attractive.