MAIDENHAIR SPLEENWORT 



Asjtienium tricnomanes (i-*.} 



T EAVES linear, very slender, once divided. Pinnae 

 -■— ' Tirteen to twenty pairs, -widely separated, one-Kalr an 

 men or legs in length, the sides unequal, round or oblong 

 with scalloped edoes. Son very conspicuous, oblong", three 

 to six arranged ooliquely along the sides of the midrih, cov- 

 ered v^ith delicate indusia. Blades dark, evergreen, on dark 

 purplish wiry polished steins, which arise in clusters from a 

 short scaly rootstock, and persisting after the blades fall away. 

 Largest leaves about seven inches m length. 



The spleenworts are represented in the Dells by three 

 species, of which this is the smallest. The maidenhair 

 spleenwort is rather common but easily escapes notice. It 

 finds a foothold in small crevices of rather dry shaded rocks, 

 where it spreads out its clusters of dainty slender leaves in- 

 termingled with the dead stems of previous years. 



