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THE COMMON MOONWORT.
BOTRYCHIUM LUNARIA.
B. fronds solitary ; barren branch ohlong pinnate ; pinnæ Innate
or fan-shaped, the margin jagged or crenate. [Plate CXII.]
B o T E T c n n jM L u n a k ia , Swartz, Schrad. Jo um . Bot. 1 8 0 0 , i i . 1 1 0 ; Id ., Syn.
Fil. 1 7 1 . Smith, Eng. Fl. 2 e d . iv . 3 1 5 . Hooker, Fl. Lond. iv . t . 66 ; Id .,
Gen. F il. t . 4 7 A. Hooker A Amott, BrU. Fl. 7 e d . 6 9 4 . Mackay, Fl.
Hih. 3 4 6 . BaUngton, Man. B rit. Bot. 4 e d . 4 2 9 . Deakin, F h r ig r . Brit.
iv . 3 4 , fig . 1 6 7 7 . Newman, Brit. Ferns, 3 e d . 3 1 3 . Moore, Haiidi. B n t.
Ferns, 3 e d . 2 7 1 ; Id i, Ferns o f Gt. Bril. Nature P rin t, t . 61 A. Sowerby,
Ferns o f Gt. Brit. 7 9 , t . 4 5 . Bentham, Handb. Brit. Fl. 6 2 4 . Lowe, Nat.
Hist. Ferns, v i i . t . 6 6 A. Schkuhr, Krypt. Gew. 1 5 6 ,1 . 1 5 4 . Willdenow, Sp.
Plant. V. 6 1 . Sprengel, Syst. Veg. iv . 2 3 . Presl, Snpp. Tent. Pterid. 4 3 .
Nyma n , Syll. Fl. Europ. 4 3 4 . Ledebour, Fl. Boss. iv . 5 0 4 . Koch, Syn. 2 e d .
9 7 2 . Svensk Bot. t . 3 7 2 , flg. 1 . Milde, Nov. Act. N . O. x x v i . p t . 2, 6 5 7 ,
t t . 4 7 , 4 8 .
B o t r y c h iu m l u n a t u m , Gray, Nat. A r r . Brit. PI. ii. 19 .
B o t r y p u s L u n a r i a , Richard, Oat. Med. (P a ris 1 8 0 1 ) 1 2 0 .
Osm u n d a L u n a r ia , lAnnæus, Sp. P lant. 1 5 1 9 . Bolton, Fil. 4, t . 4. Smith,
E ig . Bot. V . t. 313. Fl. Dan. t. 13, i g l . S iwm , Æ (Farm.) t. 12.
Osm u n d a l u n a t a , Salisbury, Prod. 4 0 1 .
O p h io g l o s s u m p e n n a t u m , Lamarck, PI. Franç. i. 9.
Var. rutaceum ; barren branch deltoid, pinnate ; pinnæ linear
oblong inciso-serrate, or pinnatifid with the ultimate lohes 2-3-fid.
B o t r y c h iu m L u n a r i a , v. r u t a c e u m , Moore, Ferns o f Gt, Bril. Nature Printed,
under t. 51 A ; I d . , Handh. B rit. Ferns, 3 ed. 271.
B o t r y c h iu m L u n a r ia , 5, Smith, Eng. Fl. 2 e d . iy . 3 1 5 .
B o t r y c h iu m r u t a c e u m , Swartz, Sehrad. J o um . 1 8 0 0 , ii. 1 1 0 i n p a r t ; Id ., Syn.
F il. 1 7 1 , i n p a r t . Willdenow, Sp. PU n t. v . 6 2 . Sehkuhr, Krypt. Gew.
1 6 7 , t . 1 5 5 , fig . b. (e x o l. fig . a.) Presl, Supp. Tent. 4 4 . Newman, Hist.
B rit. Ferns, 3 e d . 3 2 0 . BaUngton, Man. Brit. Bot. 4 e d . 4 2 9 . Ledebour,
Fl. Boss. iv . 6 0 5 .
B o t r y c h i u m m a t r i c a e i ì e f o l iu m , A . Braun,-Koch, Syn. 2 ed. 972. Woods
Tour. Fl. 426. Milde, Nov. Act. N . 0. x x v i . pt. 2, 679, tt. 5 1 , 62. i
B o t r y c h i u m l a n c e o l a t u m , Ruprecht, Dist. Crypt. Boss. 33 ; ? A ngstrom and
Milde.
Osm u n d a L u n a r ia , 0. r a m o s a , Both, PI. Germ. i i i. 32.
Var. tripartitum : barren branch deltoid, three parted ; divisions
or branches pinnate, with lunate pinnæ.
B o t r y c h iu m L u n a r i a , v. c r i s t a t u m , Kinahan, Proc. Dublin Nat. Hist. Soc.
1855-6, 26 (reprinted from tlie Dublin Nat. Hist. Bev. iii.) t, 5.
Caudex or Corm-Uke Crown forming a small soaroely thickened
wiry-rooted descending axis (rhizome, Presl), terminated by a bud or
growing point, enclosed by brown membranaceous sheaths. Roots
stoutish, fleshy, brittle, branched and elongated, spreading irregularly
from about the crown; and branching in a somewhat whorled
manner from the perpendicular axis beneath the crown; some of
the stouter of these roots probably organise new crowns, as in the
case of OpUoglossum. When at rest, the plant consists of this
crown or bud or growmg point, seated among the wiry roots,
enclosing the incipient or rudimentary fronds, and encased by membranaceous
sheaths.
Vernation pUcate or folded straight, the fertile branch clasped by
the sterile one.
Stipes erect, smooth, cylindrical, hoUow, succulent, having about
four vascular bundles embedded iu its tissue, its base surrounded by
long brown sheaths, which are doubtless the persistent bases of
former fronds, usually about half the height of the entire frond,
dividing at top into two branches, of which one is leafy, the other
fertile.
Fronds from two to eight or ten inches high, including the stipites,
firm, stout, fleshy. Sterile branch smooth, dark green, pinnate,
with four to six or seven pairs oîpinnm, which are flabellate or
lunate, the margins nearly entire, or somewhat crenate. Fertile
branch pinnate or bipinnate; the narrow rachiform spikolets
(whether answeiing to pinnæ or pinnules) fleshy, flattened, and
bearing on the inner face or that towards the sterile branch a double
row of erect spore-oases, so that these spikelets are seound, and they
are moreover more or less incurved, or subereot. Sometunes more
than one fertile branch is produced, and occasionally spore-cases aro
developed on the edges or surface of tho barren pinnæ.
Venation of the barren pinnæ flahellate-furcate, i. e. the vein
enters at the base, and becomes forked over and over again until
the whole space is traversed by the contiguous slightly radiating
...u and venules, which do not extend quite to the margin.
Fructification occupying the flattened raohiform divisions of the
separate fertile branch of the frond. Spore-cases sessile, standing
erect, i. e. at a right angle to the plane of the segments, in two
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