herbaceous plants. 387 



three-quarters of an inch wide, pinnate with closely set, 

 oblong pinnae. Should be planted in a shady position lie- 

 low evergreens and covered in winter. /.. spicant is a per- 

 fectly hardy kind. The fronds are sometimes a foot long, 



but more often shorter, linear in outline, with closely set, 

 narrow pinna'. There are a number of very beautiful vari- 

 eties, some with divided or crested fronds. They are among 

 the most desirable hardy evergreen ferns. 



Spleenwort, Asplenium. — Of this genus there are sev- 

 eral small ferns with very delicate foliage, mostly natives 

 of rocky woods. Others are quite large with ample masses 

 of very attractive foliage. The best of the smaller kinds 

 are: J. Adiantumr/iigj-um, fronds three-angled, twice pin- 

 nate, from six to twelve inches long, leaf-stalk six inches 

 long or more. Of this handsome species there are many 

 desirable forms. A. eheneum, fronds delicate, a foot long 

 or more, linear-lanceolate, pinnate. A slender plant, fre- 

 quently growing in dry and exposed places, forming small 

 tufts in crevices of rocks. A. Triclwrnanes, fronds very 

 slender, pinnate with rounded pinnae growing in large tufts 

 in fissures of moist and shady rocks; there is a handsome 

 crested form <>f this. A. Ruta muraria, seldom more than 

 three inches high : fronds twice pinnate, pinnae wedge- 

 shaped. AVill grow on the surface of moderately moist 

 rucks even in exposed positions. The most common as 

 well as the most ornamental of the larger species is the 

 lady fern (A. Filtx-fcemina). It grows several feet high; 

 the fronds are erect or arching, lower ones spreading, form- 

 ing leafy rosettes of twice-pinnate fronds of a delicate 

 green in summer. There are many more or less divided or 



