356 POPULAR FIELD BOTANY. 
leaves. The frond or leaf is beautifully divided down to 
the main stalk into long, narrow segments, which are again 
divided into little leaflets, most of which are covered by the 
kidney-shaped seed-cases. 
CRYPTOGAMIA. FILICEs. 
FoLIaAcEz.  FILIcEs. 
ASPLENIUM. (SpLEEN-wort.) 
Generic Character. Seed-cases oblong, and fixed near the 
veins of the leaflets. 
ASPLENIUM FILIX F@MINA. Lady Fern. Short-fruited 
Spleen-wort. This is the most elegant of our Ferns, greatly 
resembling the last, but much finer in all respects. It is 
more divided, for each leaflet seems to be again divided, or 
at least cut at the edges; the seed-cases are at first oblong, 
kidney-shaped, though when the seeds are ripening they 
look round. It is very delicate, for it soon droops after 
being gathered. ‘The root is black, fibrous, and wiry. The 
leaves appear in May, and are very similar to those of the 
jiliz mas. when they appear, being first in a circle, and then 
in the shape of a hook, but not so scaly. 
AspLentum TRicHoMANEs. Common wall Spleen-wort. 
