240 THE FERN PARADISE. 



marked distinction ; that, whereas the lobes of the 

 leaflets in Dilatata are curled or crisped back- 

 wards, as if more completely to shelter or hide the 

 spores, those of Recurva are on the contrary bent 

 somewhat in the opposite direction, or forward. 

 The lobes in Recurva are, too, of a more delicate 

 texture than those of Dilatata, and whilst the 

 colour of the mature fronds of the latter is dark 

 green, those of the former are of a lighter shade, 

 with a kind of light-bluish tinge. In Recurva, 

 when the plant is mature in the autumn, the whole 

 under surface of the frond is thickly studded with 

 the seed-cases which contain the spores. But the 

 exquisite hay-scent of Recurva at once decides the 

 doubting fern-hunter. Take a mature or even a 

 faded frond in the hand, and crush it between the 

 fingers, and the delightful odour which will be 

 instantly emitted will quickly decide the species, if 

 it is a frond of Recurva that you hold ! 



The Hay-scented Buckler Fern attains an 

 average height of from eighteen inches to two 

 feet. Like all the Buckler Ferns it grows 

 readily under cultivation. But it must have 



