72 BRITISH FERNS. 



Fern has its fructification in extended lines lying parallel 

 with the midrib, except the Pteris, or Bracken, in which how- 

 ever the sorus is on the margin, and not within the margin 

 and near the midvein, as in Blechnum. The Blechnum may, 

 however, be at once known from the Pteris, by the division 

 of its fronds, which are merely pinnate, while those of Pteris 

 are decompound. 



The name Blechnum is an adaptation of the Greek Ueck- 

 non, which signifies a Fern. 



COMMON HAED FERN. [Plate Yin. right-hand fig.] 

 This plant is the Blechnum Spicant. It has also the fol- 

 lowing names : Blechnum boreale, Lomaria Spicant, Asple- 

 nium Spicant, Onoclea Spicant, Acrostichum Spicant, Stru- 

 thioptcns Spicant, Osmunda Spicant, and Osmunda borealis. 



The common name of this species is very appropriate, 

 from the rigid harshness of its texture. It is one of the few 

 native kinds which produce two distinct-looking kinds of 

 frond fertile and barren. The fertile ones have their pinnae 

 much narrowed, or contracted, as it is called, while the fronds 

 themselves are considerably taller than the barren ones. 

 These fronds grow in large tufts, and being very gracefully 

 bestowed, the plant becomes one of the most ornamental of 

 our wild species during the summer season, when its fronds 

 are in a fresh state. Both kinds of fronds are of a narrow 

 lanceolate form ; the barren ones being only deeply pinna- 

 tifid, while the fertile ones are pinnate ; but the segments in 

 both are long and narrow, like the teeth of a comb. The 

 barren fronds, which are from one-half to two-thirds the 

 height of the fertile ones, assume a spreading or horizontal 

 position, and are attached to the caudex by a very short scaly 

 stipes. The fertile ones, which are situated in the centre of 

 the tufts, are erect, from one to two feet high, the stipes, 

 which is sparingly furnished with long pointed scales, being 

 nearly half the length, and of a dark brown colour. The 

 veins are not very evident in the fertile fronds, on account of the 

 contraction of the parts, but they resemble those of the bar- 

 ren ones, except in having a longitudinal venule on each side 

 the midvein, forming the receptacle to which the spore-cases 

 are attached. The midvein is prominent, and produces a 

 series of venules on each side, these becoming forked, and 

 extending almost to the margin, terminating in a club-shaped 

 head. In the fertile fronds the veinlets are necessarily 

 shorter, and connected, as already mentioned, by the longi- 

 tudinal venules which bear the fructification. The spore- 



