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Ferns For The Waterside |
The common Hart's-tongue is known variously as Phyllitis
scolopendrium and Scolopendrium vulgare, its glossy bright
green fronds having a cool appearance. The variety crispum
has very frilled and twisted foliage while muricatum and its
forms have narrow fronds, some having crests of various sizes,
one looking somewhat like a bird's nest. Another pretty
variety is ramo-cristatum which grows only five or six inches
high but has rosettes of dark green fronds, arranged to give
the appearance of a cock's comb crest. Also unusual, is the
variety transversum of which the deeply-divided leaves cross
at the apex of each frond which accounts for the name.
Polypodium ferns are most easily grown and revel in shady
damp places including moist soil and where they are subject
to moisture sprays such as they get near a waterfall. The
plants form creeping rootstocks which send out fronds which
usually open a rich deep olive-green, many turning to shades
varying from deep buff to light brown.
Polypodium vulgare is the Adder's Fern or Common
Polypody which likes a damp yet drained situation. Left to
establish itself it makes a plant of good size up to two feet
high. Fairly large clumps present a pleasing sight as the
fronds are seen with their yellowish-orange spore cases dotted
all over the leaves. In time the rootstocks or rhizomes become
thickly covered with more or less hairy brown scales.
Woodwardia augustifolia or areolata is the Chain Fern
which likes a really damp even swampy position. Growing
about a foot high the spore-bearing leaves, stand upright and
are not cut or indented as is the sterile foliage, which is
divided, spreading and slightly downy.
W. virginica likes similar conditions but is taller growing,
while the spore-bearing leaves are fairly well divided.
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