Botany, Antique Print, Chromolithograph, Blechnum spicant, Deer Fern, Lindman

Antique colored lithograph (chromolithograph) after Swedish botanist and botanial artist Carl Axel Magnus Lindman (1856-1928) for his folio "Bilder ur nordens Flora" (Pictures of Northern Flora). He was inspired by military botanical artist Johan Wilhelm Palmstuch who embarked on a scientific project to produce a series of impressive copper engravings, 1802–1819."Svensk Botanik" (Swedish Botany) was the first of its kind in Sweden.

The botanical illustrates the 3 major parts of a fern: the rhizome (the underground stem), the leafy frond and the sporangia (the reproductive structure).  In particular this fern structure is known as "Pinnatifid".

Published Stockholm by Wahlstrom & Widstrand, 1901-1905.

Condition = Excellent (no discoloration/tears)

Page size = 16.5 x 24.2 cm (6 1/2 x 9 1/2 inch)

Blechnum spicant (Deer Fern)

It is native to Europe and western North America. It has two types of leaves. The sterile leaves have flat margin-ed leaflets 5 to 8 millimeters wide, that are seen as the three outer fronds lacking sporangia, while the fertile leaves have much narrower leaflets, each with two thick rows of sori on the underside, as seen hereon the inner two fronds. All of then are attached to the same rhizone (roots). Illustrated lower left it can be seen how the Sporangia attach to the stem while the lower right  details the sori (spores) inside the sporangia.