9. AspLENiuM.] 2. POLYPODIACEM. 



9. ASPLENIUM, L. 



Ferns of various habit. Stipes not articulate to the rhizome, with 



1 or 2 vascular bundles which unite above into a central more or less 

 cylindrical or 4-gonous strand. Scales with thick-walled cells, the 

 walls mostly coloured red-brown, the lumen colourless ; usually the 

 median cells are narrower and simulate a nerve. Frond undivided, 

 pinnate, or more rarely 2-4-pinnate, pinnae or segments commonly 

 more developed on the acroscopic side. Veins free. Sori straight, 

 linear, attached laterally to the fertile vein on one side only {cp. 

 Diplaziuni), indusium introrse. Spores bilateral. 



A large genus which, even shorn of the allied genera Athyrium, Diplazium, 

 Anisogonium, etc., numbers some 150-200 species, very badly represented in 

 our area. The character of the scales is not well marked in oxu species but is 

 very distinctive in some and can be seen with an ordinary pocket lens. In other 

 cases it can be seen if the scale is mounted in a little dilute glycerine on a slide. 



1. A. laciniatum, Don. Var. depauperata, Clarke. 



A small tufted fern 6-10" high. Fronds linear-oblong about 1-1-5" 

 wide, pinnate with numerous alternate or subopposite rhomboid or 

 semi-ovate stalked pinnae rather irregularly laciniate less than half 

 way down parallel to the flabellately arranged nervation, base much 

 cut away on the basiscopic side. Stipes with linear scales, rhachis 

 upwards glabrous or very sparingly scaly. Sori linear •1--2" long 

 on many of the veins. 



Parasnath, J.D.B. ! Fr. Oct. 



10. ATHYRIUM, Roth. 

 Usually tufted ferns. Stipes not articulate on the rhizome, with 



2 vascular bundles below uniting into a crescent-shaped bundle above. 

 Scales of one layer of thin-walled cells. Frond 1-many-pinnate, 

 segments short, toothed. Veins free. Sori mostly solitary on a 

 raised flat receptacle placed laterally on the fertile vein, short or elon- 

 gate, more or less curved, sometimes hooked, indusium present and 

 of same shape as sorus but sometimes evanescent or rudimentary, 

 introrse, usually straddling over the fertile vein. Spores bilateral. 



Straight oblong or linear-oblong sori often occur in some species together with 

 ciuved ones or sometimes without curved ones ; the sori then resemble those of 

 Asplenium, to which genus it is in fact often united and is somewhat artificially 

 separated. The walls of the scale-cells are sometimes of moderate thickness, but 

 thin if compared with a good example of Asplenium. 

 Fronds 2-3-pinnate, or if 1-pinnate then pinnae deeply pinnatifld. 



Sori • 02- • 04" long 1. filix-femina. 



Fronds 1-pinnate, pinnse not lobed more than half-way down. 



Sori • 1" long .2. falcatum. 



1. A. filix-femina, J?oiL Syn. Asplenium fiHx-femina, ^eni^. Lady- 

 fern. 



A very beautiful finely-cut (except var. parasnathensis) tufted 

 fern 1-4 ft. high. Stipes grooved, one-third to nearly as long as rest 

 of frond with scattered linear membranous deciduous scales. Frond 

 lanceolate narrowed both ends, membranous, green, 2-3-pinnate 

 (sub-2-pinnate in var.) and pinnatifld, with soft rhachis appearing 

 triangular or furrowed when dry. Pinnae narrowly linear-oblong or 



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