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Its roots and rhizoma, if these distinctive names may be still
retained, resemble those of the Moonvrort : its single frond
makes its appearance in May with an erect, straight vernation,
slieds its seed in August, and soon after -withers and disappears :
a few only of the fronds are fertile, nearly nine-tenths being
without fructification; its average size is rather larger than
represented in the figure.
The fertile frond is composed of a long, smooth, hollow
rachis, beai’ing an ovate, rather acute, slanting, deep green,
leafy portion, with a straight, erect, club-shaped spike, issuing
from its interior surface at the base : this spike is usually rather
longer than the leafy part, and hears the thecæ in a double
longitudinal row ; when the seed is fully ripe these thecæ open
transversely, gape widely, and allow the seed to he scattered by
the winds ; the figure to the left represents a spike that has shed
its seed. The veins in the leafy parts anastomose in every
direction.
The Vignette below was drawn in the churchyard at Black
Nottley, in Essex. Within the little square of iron railings is
the tomb of the illustrious Ray.