78 WAYSIDE AND WOODLAND FERNS. 



Forfarshire, not extending south into Cornwall ; and in Ireland 

 reported only from Antrim, Galway, Mayo, Wicklow, and Kerry. 

 It occurs throughout Europe with the exception of the 

 Peninsula ; in North and South Africa, Asia, North America, 

 and New Zealand. 



" Marsh-fern " appears to be a folk-name suggested by its 

 habitat ; the " Buckler " is, of course, a modern book addition 

 to indicate the group to which it belongs. In the Isle of Wight 

 it is the Ground-fern. Thelypteris is a Greek compound signify- 

 ing Lady-fern. 



Mountain Buckler-fern (Nephrodium oreopteris). 



It is more than probable that the Mountain Buckler-fern has 

 often been passed as a Male-fern of peculiar coloration. Its 

 habit as it grows up the hillside is very much that of N.filix- 

 tnas, as shown in one of our photographs (Plate 80) ; but when 

 it is growing in a wood where there is no strong top-light, the 

 erect habit is abandoned, the fronds become much longer (four 

 or five feet), and take a more spreading habit, as illustrated by 

 our second photograph (Plate 83). Where any of our readers 

 may entertain doubt as to whether they have this species or the 

 Male-fern in view, to resolve their doubt they have only to look 

 at the lower portion of the frond. In the Male-fern there is a 

 distinct stipes equal to about one-fourth of the entire length ; 

 but in the Mountain Buckler the dwindling pinnee approach 

 so near to the rootstock that there is scarcely any stipes. 

 Other points of difference will be stated. 



The rootstock is short, nearly erect, and branched, covered by 

 broad golden scales, which also extend over the brief stipes, and 

 much more sparingly to a varying distance up the rachis. The 

 frond is lance-shaped, with its greatest width much above the 

 middle. Like the Male-fern, it is only once pinnate, the lance- 

 shaped pinnae being divided into flat blunt lobes which are not 



