THE POLYPODIES. 191 



great length of stem in this beautiful fern, the 

 stem being sometimes twice as long as the leafy 

 portion of the frond, the shape of which is trian- 

 gular. The stem is exceedingly brittle and herba- 

 ceous, and its lower portion is covered with light 

 scales. The leafy part of the frond is in colour 

 a light delicate green, and it has a peculiarly 

 downy appearance. On each side of the rachis 

 is a row of leaflets, shortening as they near the 

 point of the frond. These leaflets are narrow and 

 tapering, terminating in a point, and the lowest 

 and longest pair stand on the rachis or midrib 

 of the frond, quite distinct from the others ; but 

 those on the upper portion of the frond are con- 

 nected by a sort of leafy wing, which runs on each 

 side of the rachis; and in this way the leaflets 

 become gradually merged, until the frond ends in 

 a serrated point. One peculiarity about this fern 

 must be noted. The lowest, and also the longest, 

 pair of leaflets are turned downwards, their 

 points being directed from the rachis obliquely 

 towards the ground, giving a curious appearance 

 to the frond. Along the entire length of each 



