The Chain Ferns The Spleenworts: The Rock Spleenworts.

The Chain Ferns The Spleenworts: The Rock Spleenworts.

Asplenium The Large Spleenworts.

Woodwardia areolata The Spleenworts Pinnatifid Spleenwort.

The large spleenworts including Lady Fern.

" [Illustration: The Spleenworts 1.

Mountain] THE SPLEENWORTS A. THE ROCK SPLEENWORTS.

Mountain] THE SPLEENWORTS A. THE ROCK SPLEENWORTS.

Although this fern, like all the small spleenworts, is heavily fruited, it is extremely rare.

(2) SCOTT'S SPLEENWORT.

Asplenium víride] (3) GREEN SPLEENWORT.

This rare and delicate little plant bears a rather close resemblance to the maidenhair spleenwort, which, however, has dark stipes instead of green.

Asplenium Trichomanes (From Woolson's "Ferns," Doubleday, Page & Co.)] (5) SMALL SPLEENWORT Asplenium párvulum.

This small fern is a southern species half way between the maidenhair and ebony spleenworts, but rather more like the latter from which it differs in being smaller and thicker, and in having the fertile and sterile fronds of the same size.

Asplenium Bradleyi a, from Maryland; b, from Kentucky (From Waters's "Ferns," Henry Holt & Co.)] (7) BRADLEY'S SPLEENWORT.

" (9) RUE SPLEENWORT.

B. THE LARGE SPLEENWORTS.

Athýrium The following species, which are often two to three feet high and grow in rich soil, are quite different in appearance and habits from the small rock spleenworts just described.

We shall group the three together as the large spleenworts, or for the sake of being more definite adopt Clute's felicitous phrase.

(3) SILVERY SPLEENWORT.

[Illustration: Silvery Spleenwort.

(4) NARROW-LEAVED SPLEENWORT ATHÝRIUM ANGUSTIFÒLIUM.

Still other species of ferns are known to hybridize more or less, as we saw in the case of Scott's spleenwort.

Ebony and Maidenhair Spleenworts.

Green Spleenwort.