ТИЕ EUROPEAN BRISTLE FERN 
Rhizome black, creeping, elongated, tomentose, with small thick-set articulated dark-coloured jointed 
hairs, Fibres black, stout, branched, densely tomentose 
‚om one-fourth to one-half the entire length of the frond, terete, margined 
us wing, which is sometimes continued nearly to the base ; lateral 
niheront to the rhizome ; the base clothed with articulated hairs. Rachis everywhere winged. 
Vernation eireinate 
Fronds six to twelve inches or more in length ; pellucido-membrannecous, dark olive-green ; darker 
when dry, quite smooth ; ovate-lanceolate, or triangular-ovate, more or less attenuated at the apex 
tripinnatifid, or quadripinnatiid, Primary divisions (pinnw-tike segments) ovate-lanceolate ; the 
т; the ultimate lo 
hblique о 
secondary ones ovate, obtuse, cuneate at the base ; the tertiary one 
oblong, toothed, the teeth short linear, entire, emarginate, or bifid, In highly developed fronds of the 
yular form the secondary divisions are often longer and comparatively narrower, and the ultimate 
divisions are more distant, The teeth at the apices of each series of divisions are frequently more 
elongated. 
Venation consisting of a series of forked ramifications of the wiry ribs, which issue alternately from 
ıs ; these are everywhere bordered with a pellucid wing 
the main rachis and enter the primary divi 
osely cellular texture. The lowest anterior branch or veinlet of these veins in the ultimate 
egments is, in the fertile fronds, continued beyond the margin, and forms the receptacle ; but in the 
barren portions tho apices of the veinlets do not quite reach the margin. 
Fructification scattered over the fronds, extra-marginal, бе, the tubular involueres are projected 
outwards from the margin, the openi sting of sessile spore-cases, clustered 
around the base of the filiform receptacle, which is free within the involucre, with its apex more or 
супа 
supra-axillary, that is, produced in the upper axils of the (ultimate) lobes, more or less sunk in the 
drical, cup-shaped, somewhat tapering below, of 
less projected beyond it. Zaroluer n exteriorly, 
арех of one of the lobes or teeth, the mouth sometimes slightly spreading, or shortly two-lipped. 
Spore-cases sessile, oblique, latero-vertically compressed, roundish or obovate. Spores irregularly 
mdish or oblong, sometimes three-cornered, minutely papilloso 
Duration. The rhizome is perennial, The fronds aro also persistent, enduring for many years 
if not injured ; they are at least two years arriving at the fertile state 
ji 
‘The pellucid, moderate-sized, much divided, yet not pinnated fronds of this species, produced from 
ther British Ferns, There 
a creeping rhizome, suffice to distinguish this plant from aes кый 
forms or states of it met with in Ireland. One in which the fronds aro ovate-Ianceolate, with the 
segmenta broader (Prate XLVIIT a.) most nearly according with 7. radicans of Swartz, as illustrated 
by Hedwig. Another, more triangular in outline, the segments appearing narrower (Pare XLVIII n), 
seems to represent the Z. speciosum of Willdenow. A third with the fronds narrower and more 
lanceolate, the primary divisi ow, and, as well as the secondary ones, more distant or distinet 
(Pars XLVII 0), is the 7. Androrsir of Newman, and is analogous to many of the tropical forms, 
In cultivation th should be fixed to a firm and durable medium, for 
тег requires that its rhi 
one, or earthenware, or brick are most suitable; and this must 
be kept constantly moist with trickling water, The rhizome then, as it grows, attaches itself in 
the manner of ivy. То induce this growth of the rhizome and also a healthy growth of the fronds, а 
constantly damp atmosphere is essential; i 
sd the fronds themselves should be almost constantly 
