THE I.ADY FERN. 



short, oblong or curved, indusiatc, media) ; usually occupying the anterior side of the anterior venules, 

 in the less divided forms, and then straight, short oblong ; the receptacle of the lower one, sometimes of 

 more than one, crossing tho venule, and forming a curved sorus; or also returning along the posterior 

 side of the venule, and forming an arcuate or horse-shoe-shaped sorus. In the very much divided 

 varieties, this curved form of sorus is more frequent ; and sometimes it is even more abundant than 

 the simple oblong form. In this latter slate, the fructification may be readily mistaken for that of 

 a &astrca. The sori are at first distinct, but generally become more or less confluent by tho spreading 

 of the crowded spore-cases, fndimum membranaceous, the free margin cut into capillary segments. 

 Sporc-cascs numerous, dark brown, obovato. Spores oblong, granulate or muriculato. 



/Juration. Tho caudcx is perennial. The fronds nrc annual, appearing about May, and being 

 destroyed by the first frosts of autumn, or decaying early in the autumn, even when protected 



against frost 



The Lady Fern is not easily confounded with any other British Fern. Though related on the one 

 hand to Asplmium, and referred to that genus by many talented botanists, it is at once distinguished 

 from all the British AtpUmumsby its herbaceous texture, its annual fronds, and its whole habit, as well 

 as by the curved or arcuate sori. On the other hand, these sori connect it in some degree with Lmttm, 

 and it was no doubt tho examination of specimens with advanced fructifications of this form which led 

 to its being associated, as it was formerly, with Aspulium; but neither is it properly refcrriblc to the 

 Aspidiea at all, nor is the plant sufficiently like nny species of Lastrea to be mistaken for one of them. 



Tho genus Athyrium, to which it is referred, is nevertheless one of doubtful character : not on the 

 ground stated by Mr. Newman— that Roth's typical species is Asplmium fontanum, anil that we have 

 no right to restrict the genus to the "Filix-famiinaor abnormal group," because that would be a palpable 

 perversion of the author's meaning; for tho fact of Asplcnium fontanum occurring first in Roth's 

 enumeration of tho species, docs not constitute it the type of tho genus, but is clearly on account of it* 

 being the smallest and the simplest of the forms he proposed to bring together ; Roth, moreover, in his 

 generic character, expressly states of tho indusium "margino laciniato-fimbriatmn," which character 

 Ittlonga specially to tho Fuix-fcemina group, and docs not well apply to A.fontanum, There need bo no 

 hesitation therefore about restricting Roth's Atfajrium within the limits to which he himself points, and 

 thus identifying it with the Filix-feemina group. It is by taking a wider and more comprehensive view, 

 that the genus becomes doubtful. Both Prcsl and Fee unite AlUmlwlia and Athyrium under the 

 latter name, and characterise tho group mainly by the short oblong gibbous sori, and vaulted indusia, 

 but theso marks pass insensibly into those of Asplmium ; while the character afforded by the fringed 

 indusia, on which Roth seems partly to have relied, is too trivial for the purpose of generic definition. 

 Tho remaining character, that of the curved arcuate or horsc-shoe-sliopcd sori, is certainly foreign to 

 Asplmium, and indicates, as we have already stated, a tendency towards Latino. It is on this 

 ground that we adopt tho genus, from which tho straight-fruited AUantodias should assuredly bo 

 removed to Asplmium. The effect of this, though it will doubtless reduce Athyrium very much, will 

 not be to restrict it entirely to the forms of A. Filix-f amino, a considerable number of distinct species 

 from various countries having a similar fructification. 



The Erect Lady Fern— A. Filix-kkxina mlkticom— (Plate XXXI. A.) is generally distinguishable 

 by its narrow erect fronds, and its distinct and apparently linear pinnules, which however owe their 

 nan-owed appearance to the inflection of the points of their lobes over the sori ; the anterior basal 

 pinnules are also conspicuously longer than tho rest, as arc the anterior basal lobes of all the pinnules. 

 The camlex grows in tufts, and produces numerous fronds, which stand upright, and havo a rigid 

 appearance, though in reality herbaceous, owing probably to tho circumstance of their growing exposed; 

 as is generally the case with this variety. The same cause, namoly, exposure, often produces mora or 

 less of convexity in the pinna;. It occurs with tho stipes— which is much thickened just above the base, 

 as is generally the case in this species— cither palo green, or purplish red, The fronds grow from two to 



** 



