THE MALE FERN. 



Lastr.^a Filix-mas. — Presl. 



Aspidium Fllix-mas. — Smith, Hooker, Galpine, Mackay, Francis. 



Folypodium Filix-mas. — Linneus, Berkenhout, Hudson, Bolton, 



Withering, Lightfoot. 

 Aspidium nemorale. — Gray. 



LOCALITIES. 



Universally distributed. 



England. ^ 

 Wales. 1., . 

 Scotland, f ^"^ 

 Ireland J 



This is a most abundant species, and one which seems to delight 

 in wooded and well-cultivated districts ; although scattered over 

 every part of the kingdom, it is ever most luxuriant in rich soil 

 and shady situations : it lives to a great age, and the fronds of 

 each succeeding year increase in size. 



The roots are extremely strong and tough, they are of a dark 

 brown colour, and penetrate very deeply into the earth ; the 

 rhizoma is tufted : if in a favourable situation, it elongates slightly 

 every year, so that in very old plants it makes a decided appear- 

 ance above ground, and the crown of the rhizoma, whence spring 

 the fronds, appears to be seated on a short stem ; it more often, 

 however, assumes a pendant position, as represented in the next 

 page, the crown of the rhizoma curving at the extremity, and 

 the fronds growing in a nearly erect position. This elongation 

 of the rhizoma in Filix-mas, (a character still more decided in 

 Filix-femina,) affords us a clew to that erect and elongated part 

 which is called the " trunk " of Tree Ferns. It is inconsistent 

 with analogy to suppose that genera, which are so obviously 

 allied in every other character, should be so totally different in 

 this, as for one to possess a trunk, and the other to be entirely 

 without it. 



