THE WALL RUE OR SPLEENWOR 
Venation consisting of a series of reins repeatedly forked from the base, so that there is no distinct 
midvein, the number of branches or eenules corn 
Fructification on the back of the frond, borne on the inner sides of the venules about the centro of 
the pinnæ. Sori linear, fov, sometimes simulating th ypendrium from being nearly o 
pening inwardly from each margin ; often becoming confluent, When the plants are 
starved, they produce small pinnules and abundant sori, which are confluent over their whole under 
surface, Indusium, a thin narrow membrane, having the free margin wavy or erenulate, Spore 
dark brown, numerous, roundish, obovate, coarsely retieulat res roundish, strongly muriculat 
Duration, ‘Tho caudex is perennial, The fronds are produced in spring and retained through the 
т, until after f 
sh ones appear, so that the Fern is evergreen. 
‘Tho usual state 
this species are enily recognised, the characters of deltoid outline, bipinnate division, 
amd distinet cuneate pinnules, taken together with the small size of the entire fronds, serving to distinguish 
these from the other Aspleniums. ‘There are, however, states of the plant whieh aro not easily separated 
from A. germanienm, being narrow in the fronds or pinnules, and sometimes scarcely more than pinnate 
aro best distinguished by the crenulate indusium, and by the fine denticulations of the upper 
margin, the apex of the pinnules in 4. germanicum having fewer, deeper, and more unequal incisions, 
Some cultivators succeed well with this plant, but it is not generally found easy of culture. Those 
succeed best who keep their Ferns drier than usual. ‘The Wall Ra 
requires a very porous soil of sandy 
tion of ol nd fragments 
am, with а lange prop 
t brick, and to have the watoring-pot 
applied very cautiously to the never to the 
il, and perhap 
eaves, ‘The plants, too, ought to have an 
‘open or elevated site, especially if in a house or frame, s 
that they may be continually parting with the 
moisture supplied to them. They increase by division 
A few variations of this species have b 
1. multifidum (W.). This produces occasionally a few dichotomous fronds, but the plant is not 
entirely dichot is it constant under cultivation, 
eristatum (W.), This is permanent, and nearly all the fronds are affected ; some are erowded or 
tasselled at their apices ; others have their api as it were, folded on each other, and the rachis 
is not unfrequently divided. The pinnules vary somewhat in nearly every plant. It has been found by 
Dr. Allchin near Guildford, in Surrey, and by Mr, Wollaston near Tunbr 
го Wells, Kent, and is rare 
3, proliferum (W.), is a proliferous form of th 
foregoing ; the young plants protrude through the 
epider 
4 di 
or are seated at the axils of the рінде, Tt was found sparingly mingled with the last 
tum (МР). This is of very elegant habit; the pinnnles are deeply incised and elongated. It 
has been found by Mr, Wolk 
‘on in Devonshire, and by Dr. Kinahan in Ireland, and is not common. 
5. euneatum (М.). This form, which е Rock, is often mistaken 
т A. germanicum 
arcely more than pinnate, with narrow pinnæ cuneate below, truncate above. The texture 
however, is stouter than in A. germanicum, the parts broader, and the apical teeth, unlike those of that 
species, aro small and equal. Another similar form from the same place is rather more divided, and less 
this last have been found by Dr. Allchin at Town Malling, Kent, and 
by Miss Wright, at Keswick. A still narrower but analogous form has been found by Mr. Wilson in 
Dovedale, and by Dr. Allchin at Ennis 
6. pinnatum (M). A pinnate variety, with several rhomboidal p 
ans, stalked, and erenato-dentate 
in the upper or larger half, It was found by Dr. Allchin at Mueruss, 
7. unilaterale (М), This was found with the last. It 
ne-sided in its growth, developing a normal 
е side, th 
pinna on o est of the frond being confused, and the rachis often excurrent and hooked at the 
oint ; sometimes the pinna becomes an enlarged branch, "The whole growth is irregular m 
A somewhat similar form has been gathered by Mr. Barringto 
at Black Head, Clare, Ireland, 
