THE HART'S-TONGUE FERN. 67 



soil, which is just kept moistened either by natural or arti- 

 ficial means. As a pot plant it is easily manageable. The 

 variety is rare, and has hitherto been treated as a frame or 

 greenhouse plant. 



CHAPTER XI. 



THE HART'S-TONGUE FERST. 



THE botanical name of the Hart's-Tongue Fern is Scolopen- 

 drium. The genus is botanically very distinct from all our 

 other native Ferns ; and from other points of view is ex- 

 ceedingly interesting. There is only one British species, but 

 of this there are numerous varieties, which have a perfectly 

 distinct aspect, owing to peculiarities in their development. 

 They are all evergreen, and on this account, as well as by 

 reason of their hardiness and bold striking appearance, they 

 are among the most ornamental of all Ferns for out-door 

 rock-work. The genus is known by the peculiarities of its 

 sori, which, though forming parallel oblique lines at intervals 

 on each side the midvein, and having the appearance of 

 being single if seen when mature, are in reality composed of 

 two sori, set face to face, and so close together as to become 

 confluent along their whole length. The fructification, 

 technically speaking, consists of sori confluent in pairs, 

 placed face to face. 



Scolopendrium is merely an alteration of Scolopendra, the 

 scientific name of the centipede : and the name is applied 

 from a fancied resemblance (in the position we _ suppose) be- 

 tween the feet of a centipede and the lines of its fructifica- 

 tion. 



COMMON HART'S-TONGUE. [Plate vii. hinder fig.] 



The proper name of this plant is Scolopendrium vulgare, 

 but many others have been given it, as Scolopendrium officinar 

 rum, Scolopendrium Phyttitis, Asplenium Scolopendrium, &c. 



The Hart's-Tongue Fern is a common plant; neverthe- 

 less, in consequence of its shining bright green, though 

 simple fronds, contrasting so beautifully with the feathery 

 aspect much more common among the Ferns, it does not 

 want for admirers whether seen in a wild or cultivated 

 state. It grows in tufts. The fronds, which are evergreen, 

 vary in length from six inches to a foot and a half, and even 

 more, and are either stiff and erectish when growing under 



