THE MALE PERN. 



Fronds averaging two or three feet in height, but varying from a foot to four or six feet, according 

 to ago, variety, and locality; they grow crectish, aud when the crown is vertical aro arranged in a 

 circlet around it ; they aro herbaceous, smooth, of a lively rather deep green, somewhat paler beneath ■ 

 in outline broadly lanceolate with a gradually tapering apex, or sometimes oblong lanceolate with a 

 sudden aewmnation at the apex ; bipinnate. Pinna numerous, alternate or nearly opposite, linear 

 gradually narrowing towards the apex, which is acute ; the lower ones decreasing in length from about 

 the middle of the frond, the lowermost measuring an inch or rather more in length in fronds of a foot 

 and a half long, those about the middle being three or four inches long ; the lower pinme aro also more 

 distant than those higher up. Pinnules at the base of the pinna) distinct or slightly connected by a 

 narrow wing to the rachis, notched on both sidos at the base, but with a broad attachment, the first 

 pair somewhat larger than the rest> which aro generally attached by the entire width of their base with 

 a very narrow sinus, and more or less combined ; oblong obtuse, £ <?., of equal width throughout with 

 the apex rounded, slightly crenate or crenato-lobed at the margin, serrated principally around the blunt 

 apex, the teeth acute but not spinuloses 



Venation of the pinnules consisting of a flexuous midvein bearing alternate branches or veins, which 

 are again branched once or twice, these secondary branches or venules extending nearly to the margin, 

 each venule (or vein) itself if simple or the anterior branch if ramified, proceeding towards the point of 

 one of the marginal scrratures,just within winch it terminates. The manner of nullifying is, by what 

 is called forking, which consists in the production of two branches both slightly and about equally 

 diverging from the straight line. In the larger varieties there arc more of theso forkings than in the 

 smaller. 



Fructification on the back of the frond, rarely extending more than half-way down, and most 

 copious on the upper third. Sari numerous distinct* roundish -rcniform, in the normal form confined to 

 the lower half of the pinnules, attached to the anterior venule at a short distance above its source, and 

 much below its termination, thus being medial on the vein, and forming two short lines extending 

 upwards from the base of the pinme, rather nearer the midvein than the margin, Indmium firm, 

 convex, persistent, rcnifomi, £ *,, roundish with a posterior notch, affixed by the notch or sinus, with 

 an entire margin, t\ c, without marginal glands, (except in pumila, and abbrcviata, which are probably 

 distinct) and acquiring a grayish or leaden hue as the fructification becomes matured. Spare-cases 

 reddish brown, obovate. Spores oblong, mnriculatc. 



Duration. The rhizome is perennial. Youug fronds aro produced about May, which endure 

 throughout the summer and autumn and until destroyed by severe frost 



This plant is the typo of the modem genus Aa^mi— consisting of indusiate free-veined doWVuited 

 Ferns, having the indusium rcniform, t. e. round with a notch in the margin, forming a sinus by which it 

 is affixed. The name Lastnca was first and long ago used by Bory for a sub-generic group, which 

 neither according to ancient or modern views could be held to have any value; the name had 

 consequently lapsed, but was revived by Presl for the group above indicated* There is no ground 

 whatever for the arbitrary selection, which Mr Newman has made, of L. OreopUris, as the plant to bear 

 ltory's name, to the exclusion of all the other species now usually associated with it : as he liimsclf has 

 indeed shown by quoting Boiy*s subgencric character, the application of which to this plant was an 

 original error of observation, or at least the result of iiu|>crfcct observations, Lastrca Qrevpteris does, 

 in fact, much less accord with Dory's character than do the three Polypodies lie associated with it 

 Presl was therefore quite justified when in l$;tfi he revived Uory's name (altering it to Lastrea) for a 

 proposed group which included two of Dory's five Species— Thdypteris and Orcopteris,— the others being 

 rcferriblc to Pvlgpodium. Presl's genus, as we have already remarked, is rather typified by the subject 

 of our present plate, although it fairly includes the two K|H'cies just mentioned. We must here protest 

 against the freak in which Mr, Newman has indulged, of scattering among ilu* liritisli Laxt&as three 







