THE OBLONG WOODSIA 
Fronds from two to four or six inches long ; terminal on the caudex, thick membranaceous, dull deep 
n, more or less rusty beneath from the abundant scales; lanceolate oblong, pinnate. Pinna 
alls y nearly horizontal ; the larger ones about an inch, the smaller half an inch, in length. 
Lobes eight to twelve, oblong obtuse, the basal ones largest, their margins obscurely cronato, and as 
well as the upper surface furnished with coarse seattered hairs, in addition to which on the under 
sting of a flexuous and not very distinct midvein, from which arise 
nate veins, the lower ones usually forked some distance from their base, the ernudes extending quit 
free nearly to the margin, and bearing the sori near tho apes, but below it; the upper veins, which are 
tification on the back of the f 
1, seattered nearly equally over the whole surface ; situated 
below the apex of the veins and venules; so ws and becoming confluent, Sor’ eireular 
with jointed shining hairs, which curvo inwards, i ro-cases ; hence they are 
involuerate. Spore- gularly three-cornered, 
Duration. Тһе caudex is perennial, The fronds aro annual, growing up in spring, about March, 
The chief peculiarity of the genus to whi ferred, is found in the peculiar investing 
membrane which covers th and which is not easy of examination without careful 
anipulation. 
Tt consists, in fact, of a small concave scale, resting on the vein, beneath the sorus, having its margi 
fringed with numerous hair-like а 
fer the spore-eases. ‘This structure 
gradually merges through some ex 
species into an undivided bladdery cup, containing the spore 
cases; so that Woodsia, in this comprehensive sense, forms the passage from the polypodiaccous to the 
Woodsia ilvensis differs from W. alpina in the breadth and development of the frond, which ік 
lanceolate and not linear, and it has elongated oblong not short delt 
id pinnae. Tt differs further in the 
1 
erinite condition of the stipes and rachis, and of the lower surfuee-of the ribs and veins of the fro 
W. alp 
hairs. Mr. Wollast 
a being almost destitute of subula T 
te scales, although sparingly furnished with tubular j 
venation, whilst W. direneis shows no trace whatever ication, the sori in W. alpina are 
remarkably cons 
mous, That they are quite distinct, seems to be the general opinion of botanists, 
species, according to Mr. Wollaston's 
evations, produces one variety—multifida—in which 
the apex of the frond, ss, are bifid. 
mally the apices of the 
