226 THE FERN PARADISE. 



deeply cleft or lobed in the lowest part of the 

 frond, the divisions diminishing in depth as the 

 leaflets, nearing the point of the frond, become 

 smaller and smaller. Finally the leaflets merge in 

 the frond-tip, which is simply notched. The backs 

 of the fronds are clothed to a greater or less 

 extent with minute scales and shining hairs or 

 bristles. Amongst these hide the spores. 



In both of our species of Woodsia the stipes is 

 jointed at a distance of little more than half an 

 inch from the crown of the root. When on the 

 approach of winter the fronds fall off and decay, 

 their separation from the plant takes place, not 

 close to the crown, but at the spot where the 

 joint already mentioned is placed; and as the 

 stems below the joint stand firm, a cluster of little 

 frondless stems remains for some time attached to 

 the crown. 



The Oblong Woodsia is only to be found in 

 one or two localities in Scotland, in one locality in 

 the north of England, and in one or two parts 

 of North Wales. No specimen has been seen 

 growing wild anywhere in Ireland. 



