CHAPTER VI. 



THE SPLEENWORTS. 



I. THE FORKED SPLEENWORT. 

 Asplenium septentrionale. 



r I ^HE Spleenworts form a charming group, 

 many of them being very small. But all 

 are evergreen. They all delight to grow in rocky 

 or stony crevices, sometimes on walls disporting 

 themselves in the sunshine, but always preferring 

 shade and moisture for their fibrous roots. The 

 little waving tufts of the smaller species conspicu- 

 ously ornament the rocks or walls on which they 

 grow, whilst the larger kinds wear their beautiful 

 fronds with a nobler grace. 



The Forked Spleenwort is one of our rarest 

 ferns. It grows to an average height of two 

 or three inches only, seldom exceeding six. Frond 



