THE ALPINE OR DELTOID WOODSIA 
in the lar sely placed ; all semi-patent or nearly horizontal, Lobes five 
to seven, roundish obovate, largest at the base, the lowermost sometimes divided nearly to the midvein, 
шеші and the apex, in the most vigorous specimens, notched so as to indicate 
the upper on 
s entire or obscurely erenate, furnished with a few seattered 
tubular jointed hairs, and hat 
ately branched 
Venation of the sisting of a flexuose indistinet midvein, which is alten 
the branch s undivided ; both veins and 
r reins are forked, rarely mo 
Fructifcation on the back of the frond produced on all parts of the frond, bi 
copiously in the upper part, the sori situated below the apex of the venules, hence medial, and often at 
length confluent over the lobes. Sort eirenlar, seated within, that is above, a small membrannecous seale 
whose margin is fringed with jointed hairs which curvo inwards involving the spore-cases; hence they 
are involuerate, Spore-cases roundish-obvate, Spores brown, round or roundish-oblong, the surface 
Duration, The caudex is perennial, ‘The fronds are annual, growing up in spring and perishing 
scies has been drawn up from a series of remarkably 
ins in Perthshire, by Mr. J. Т. Syme, No 
the n 
fine specimens, collected dalbane mount vele 
one would think, need be moro distinct than this is from Woodeiz ееп, from which the eye or 
acquainted with it, readily dissociates it, Tt is a smaller, narrower, and smoother-looking plant than 
that species; and though w 
y the excitement of the artificial conditions imposed on it in a state of 
culture, it does sometimes seem to nequire greater breadth and leafiness, so to speak, than is observable 
in the wild specimens, yet the proportion and general features of the plant remain unchanged. It is 
much more like the W. glabella, a native of North-West America, but that is still more narrow and 
slender. 
Our own experience of the cultivation of the Woodeia: ren in the Handbook of British Ferns 
p. 70) from which we quote the following 
The Woodsias are best cultivated in moderate-sized well-drained pots, kept in a cold frame, facing 
the north during the summer-season, and should not be kept constantly el 
ed wp. They are very 
impatient of sunshine and stagi v advantageously 
ant moisture, ‘The erown of the plants may in pottin 
elevated a little between two or three small pieces of sandstone, "Ihe lamp, 
t not be kept to 
especially during winter. A shady shelf in a cool greenhouse where there is а free circulation of air 
ог a dryish cold frame, are good situations in which to preserve them during the dormant, season. 
When it becomes necessary to divide the tufts, which is the most ready means 
propagation, it sl 
be done very carefully in spring about the time they commence their seasonal growth. In 
obtaining plants from their wild habitats for the purpose of cultivation, as with most other of the rare 
its are much more su 
Forns, it is found that small pl «fully transplanted than the larger and 
older masses 
Mr. Newman recommends potting with thin pieces 
f porous stone placed vertically as high as the 
pot, the roots to be carefully arranged among the central pieces, and then covered with a finely-sifted 
соуей leaf:mould, silver sand, and peat, used nearly dry, shaken down and watered, the 
mixture of d 
process being repeated, if nec interstices are filled up. We should pref 
light loam and sand between the 
and this coincides with the experience of Mr. Wollaston, Ме, Backh 
use hints that the less repotting 
or disturbance at the root they are subjected to, after being once planted, the better 
