592 FILICES. (FERNS.) 



rise to new plants. (Asplenium rhizophyllum, L.) Shaded rocks on the 

 mountains of Georgia,, and northward. Fronds 4'- 10' long. 



11. ASPLENIUM, L. 



Fruit-dots oblong or linear, oblique to the midrib, the indusium attached by- 

 one margin to the mostly free veins, rarely curved, or double and attached to 

 both sides of the vein. 



1. ASPLENIUM PROPER. Indusia straight, attached by their whole length 



to Ike upper side of the vein; rarely some of them double, and placed back to back. 



* Fronds pinnatiftd or simply pinnate. 



1. A. pinnatifldum, Nutt. Fronds lanceolate, acuminate, cordate at 

 the base, pinnatifid, or below sometimes pinnate, the roundish divisions obtuse, 

 crenate or serrate ; fruit-dots scattered. Alleghanies of Alabama, and north- 

 ward. Fronds 3' -6' long. A form with the lowest segment on each side 

 elongated horizontally and acuminate, has been found in Alabama by Mr. Beau- 

 mont. 



2. A. dentatum, L. Fronds linear-oblong, obtuse, piffliate ; pinnas 

 mostly opposite, 8-12 pairs on short but distinct stalks, roundish ovate (3" -4" 

 long), cuneate at the lower side of the base, and truncate at the upper side, cre- 

 nate or serrate, obtuse ; fruit-dots 6-8 on each pinna, elongated, the one next 

 the rachis often double. Carolina, Th. Moore, Florida, Binney. Fertile fronds 

 4' -6' high, the stipe as long as the sterile fronds. 



3. A. Trichomanes, L. Stipe and rachis slender, purplish black and 

 shining; fronds many from the short rootstock, linear, pinnate ; pinnae numer- 

 ous, minute (2" -3" long), roundish oblong, narrowed at the base and attached 

 to a raised point on the rachis; fruit-dots 4-8 on a pinna. (A. melano- 

 caulon, WiUd.) Rocks along the Alleghanies, and northward. Fronds 4' - 

 8' high. 



4. A. ebeneum, Aiton. Stipe and rachis purplish black and shining ; 

 fronds linear-lanceolate or spatulate, acuminate, pinnate ; pinnae numerous, ses- 

 sile, linear-oblong, auricled on one or both sides of the base, serrate or nearly 

 entire, those below the middle of the frond gradually shorter and deflexed ; fruit- 

 dots 10-13 on a pinna. Florida to Mississippi, and northward. Fronds 6'- 

 18' high, l'-3' wide ; stipe very short. 



5. A. angustifolium, Michx. Fronds tall, lanceolate, pinnate; pinnae 

 numerous ; the sterile ones lanceolate from a truncate base ; the fertile ones nar- 

 rower, and bearing 60 - 80 curved fruit-dots on the upper branches of the pin- 

 nate forking veins; indusia thickish, strongly convex. Rich soil along the 

 mountains, and northward. Fronds 1- 3 high, annual. Pinnae 2' -4' long, 

 4" -8" wide. 



* * Fronds 2 - 3-pinnate or pinnatifid. 



6. A. montanum, Willd. Fronds small, ovate-lanceolate, pinnate ; pin- 

 nae few, petioled, ovate or triangular ; the lower ones pinnatifid ; the upper ones 

 incised ; divisions toothed or serrate ; fruit-dots very short, the basal ones often 



