THE BUCKLER FERNS. 233 



The stem, or stipes, is perhaps about one quarter 

 the length of the leafy portion of the frond, and is 

 covered thickly with chaffy scales. These scales 

 are also carried along the rachis or mid-stem of 

 the frond. The leaflets, arranged in alternation 

 on each side of the rachis longest in the middle 

 of the rachis, shorter at the base, and shortest at 

 the top are narrow and tapering, and are sym- 

 metrically divided into oblong blunt-pointed lobes ; 

 some of them the largest ones, and those nearest 

 the rachis in the lower part of the frond being 

 quite separate from each other, that is to say, 

 divided quite down to the mid-stem of the leaflets; 

 the others being attached to those next to them 

 by a leafy wing, and those nearest the tips of the 

 leaflets being nearly cleft between. The lobes are 

 broadest at the base, with rounded blunt points. 

 There is a smooth, shiny, rigid, leathery appearance 

 about the fronts of the lobes, whilst their backs 

 have a duller, rougher surface. The spores are 

 produced on the backs of the leaflets, usually in 

 the upper portion of the frond ; and each leaflet 

 is thickly studded with the little kidney-shaped 



