How to Know the Ferns

Part 1

HOW TO KNOW THE FERNS

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 Flowers," "According to Season," etc.

Illustrated by Marion Satterlee and Alice Josephine Smith

NEW YORK CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 1915

Copyright, 1899, by Charles Scribner's Sons

J. R. P.

"If it were required to know the position of the fruit-dots or the character of the indusium, nothing could be easier than to ascertain it; but if it is required that you be affected by ferns, that they amount to anything, signify anything to you, that they be another sacred scripture and revelation to you, helping to redeem your life, this end is not so easily accomplished."

--THOREAU

PREFACE

Since the publication, six years ago, of "How to Know the Wild Flowers," I have received such convincing 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 affords, that I have prepared this companion volume on "How to Know the Ferns." It has been my experience 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 abundance 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 proportion of our native ferns during a single summer, and it is still more surprising that so few efforts have been made to bring them within easy reach of the public.

I wish to acknowledge my indebtedness to the many books on our native ferns which I have consulted, but more especially to Gray's "Manual," to Eaton's "Ferns of North America," to the "Illustrated Flora" of Messrs. Britton and Brown, to Mr. Underwood's "Our Native Ferns," to Mr. Williamson's "Ferns of Kentucky," to Mr. Dodge's "Ferns and Fern Allies of New England," and to that excellent 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 Josephine 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 nomenclature 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

"The more thou learnest to know and to enjoy, the more full and complete will be for thee the delight of living."

CONTENTS

Page

Preface v

Ferns as a Hobby 1

When and Where to Find Ferns 15

Explanation of Terms 28

Part 2

Fertilization, Development, and Fructification of Ferns 32

Notable Fern Families 36

How to Use the Book 38

Guide 40

Fern Descriptions:

Group I 54

Group II 67

Group III 87

Group IV 105

Group V 120

Group VI 159

Index to Latin Names 211

Index to English Names 213

Index to Technical Terms 215

LIST OF PLATES

⁂ The actual sizes of ferns are not given in the illustrations. For this information see the corresponding description.

PLATE PAGE

I. SENSITIVE FERN, Onoclea sensibilis, 57

II. OSTRICH FERN, Onoclea Struthiopteris, 59

III. CINNAMON FERN, Osmunda cinnamomea, 61

IV. CURLY GRASS, Schizæa pusilla, 65

V. ROYAL FERN, Osmunda regalis, 69

VI. INTERRUPTED FERN, Osmunda Claytoniana, 73

VII. ADDER'S TONGUE, Ophioglossum vulgatum, 79

VIII. TERNATE GRAPE FERN, Botrychium ternatum, 83

IX. MOONWORT, Botrychium Lunaria, 85 LANCE-LEAVED GRAPE FERN, Botrychium lanceolatum, 85

X. PURPLE CLIFF BRAKE, Pellæa atropurpurea, 91

XI. NARROW-LEAVED SPLEENWORT, Asplenium angustifolium, 99

Part 3

XII. NET-VEINED CHAIN FERN, Woodwardia angustifolia, 103

XIII. HAIRY LIP FERN, Cheilanthes vestita, 113

XIV. HAY-SCENTED FERN, Dicksonia pilosiuscula, 115

XV. LADY FERN, Asplenium Filix-fœmina, 121

XVI. SILVERY SPLEENWORT, Asplenium thelypteroides, 125

XVII. RUE SPLEENWORT, Asplenium Ruta-muraria 127

XVIII. MOUNTAIN SPLEENWORT, Asplenium montanum, 131

XIX. EBONY SPLEENWORT, Asplenium ebeneum, 135

XX. GREEN SPLEENWORT, Asplenium viride, 139

XXI. SCOTT'S SPLEENWORT, Asplenium ebenoides, 141

XXII. PINNATIFID SPLEENWORT, Asplenium pinnatifidum, 143

XXIII. BRADLEY'S SPLEENWORT, Asplenium Bradleyi, 145

XXIV. VIRGINIA CHAIN FERN, Woodwardia Virginica, 157

XXV. NEW YORK FERN, Aspidium Noveboracense, 161

XXVI. MARSH FERN, Aspidium Thelypteris, 163

XXVII. SPINULOSE WOOD FERN, Aspidium spinulosum, var. intermedium, 165

XXVIII. BOOTT'S SHIELD FERN, Aspidium Boottii, 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

Part 4

XL. BLUNT-LOBED WOODSIA, Woodsia obtusa, 201

XLI. NORTHERN WOODSIA, Woodsia hyperborea, 205

XLII. SMOOTH WOODSIA, Woodsia glabella, 207

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

"The cheerful community of the polypody" Frontispiece From a 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 55

Cinnamon Fern 60

Royal Fern 68

Interrupted Fern 74

Climbing Fern 75

Rattlesnake Fern 80

Slender Cliff Brake 89

"The unpromising wall of rock which rose beside us" 94 From a photograph by Miss Ledyard.

More compound frond of Purple Cliff Brake 95

Christmas Fern 97

Narrow-leaved Spleenwort 98

Brake 106

Maidenhair 110

Mountain Spleenwort 130

Part 5

Mountain Spleenwort 132

"In the shaded crevices of a cliff" 132 From a photograph by Miss Madeline Smith.

Maidenhair Spleenwort 137

Walking Leaf 146

"We fairly gloated over the quaint little plants" 148 From a photograph by Miss Ledyard.

Hart's Tongue 151

Marsh Fern 162

"Like the plumes of departing Summer" 178 From a photograph by Miss Madeline Smith.

Common Polypody 184

Long Beech Fern 187

Oak Fern 191

Bulblet Bladder Fern 194

How to Know the Ferns

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 delight 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. Provided 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. I remember that once, on a long sea-voyage, I envied certain of my fellow-passengers who found amusement in cards when the conditions were such as to make almost any other occupation out of the question. 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 delight 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 gratitude 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. The chief lack in the artificial sports, such as polo, golf, baseball, etc., as opposed to the natural sports, hunting and fishing, is that while they are invaluable as a means of health and relaxation, they do not lead to other and broader interests, while many a boy-hunter has developed into a naturalist as a result of long days in the woods. Hunting and fishing would seem almost perfect recreations were it not for the life-taking element, which may become brutalizing. I wish that every mother who believes in the value of natural sport for her young boys would set her face sternly against any taking of life that cannot be justified on the ground of man's needs, either in the way of protection or support.

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