THE RIOID IJUCKLER FERN. 



Vernation circinato. 



Frond from one to two feet high, firm, dull green, paler Iwncath, the surface sprinkled over while 

 young with numerous minute spherical short-stalked almost scssilo glands, which give it then a 

 glaucous hue, not conspicuous in the dried plants, and at the same time impart a slight but peculiar 

 and agreeable fragrance ; spreading or crcctish, bipinnate, usually clongately triangular, the lower 

 pinna! being somewhat the longest, and the rest gradually shortening to the apex ; sometimes, how- 

 ever, the outline is lanceolate. Ptnnw alternate, the lower ones subopposite, distinctly triangular, 

 tho middle ones more or less oblong with a tapering point* the uppermost narrowly triangular, i. e. 

 tapering from tho base upwards. Pinnules oblong or ovate-oblong, truncate at the base, obtuse at 

 tho aj>cx, the lower ones shortly stalked, the upper adnate, deeply pinnatilid ; the lobes oblong 

 notched, tho upper with about two, the lower with about five teeth, which are acute but not spinuloso. 



Venation of tho pinnules consisting of a sinuous midvein, branching alternately., so as to throw a 

 rein into each lobe ; each of these veins branches so as to produce a venule extending up towards 

 each marginal tooth, but not reaching tho margin. Tho lower anterior venule is fertile. 



Fructification on tho l>ack of the frond, occupying about the upper half. Sort rather large, round, 

 numerous and occupying the whole length of the pinnules, indusiate, medial on tho basal anterior 

 venules forming a line on each side of and near to the midvein, becoming crowded and often confluent 

 over the wholo central portion of the pinnules. Indusium lead-coloured, firm membranaceous, 

 persistent, convex, reniform, i. e. round with a posterior sinus by which it is affixed, glandular both on 

 tho surface and at the margin, with stalked glands. Spore-cases numerous, brown, obovate. Spores 



oblong, muricukitc. 



Duration* The caudcx is perennial The fronds are annual, produced in spring and perishing in 



autumn, 



are 



This species may be known from those to which it is allied by sovcral characteristics. The fronds 

 comparatively small, generally broadest at the base, always covered with minute glands, which give 

 off a pleasant balsamic fragrance, often appreciable in the vicinity of the living plants during sunshine. 

 The outline of the pinnules— bluntly oblong— different from that which occurs in any other native 

 species, is most nearly approached by some states of the Incised Male-Fern, and the serraturcs, as in 

 that sjiecies, are not at all spiuulose or awn-tipped, but are short and merely acute ; but from that it is 

 distinguished by its size, its outline, its glandular surface, and its glandular-fringed indusium. It can 

 hardly be mistaken for any other of the Lastrcas, nearly all the rest of which liave spinulosc scrratureA 

 The culture of this Fern is very similar to that of the other larger growing kinds. It grows well in 

 free well-drained loamy soil j and the fact of its range being almost if not quite confined to limestone 

 mountains suggests that the use of limestone among the soil may be beneficial, though it is certainly not 

 essential to success. It is of far more importance that the soil should be kept moderately moist, and 

 should bo of such a texture, as may at the same time prevent any accumulation of stagnant water. It 

 is increased by separating the lateral crowns formed by the caudex. The latter is the better for being 

 somewhat elevated above the soil in planting, for being decumbent in habit, it docs not when planted 

 deeply liberate its crown so readily as the more erect-habited species. 



Sir. Wollaston notices a variation in which the fronds or the pinnns arc simply or multifully divided 

 at the apex, but it is not a constant variety. 



