MALE FERN AND ITS RELATIVES 57 



found with a lanceolate outline, whilst others 

 may be distinctly triangular in shape. The frond 

 is Si-pinnate, the pinnate being placed rather 

 irregularly on either side of the rachis. The 

 pinnules are blunt and somewhat oblong in shape ; 

 they have serrated edges, but do not bear any 

 spines. 



The sori are placed on either side of the vein 

 in the middle of the pinnules. These are 

 covered in their early stages with kidney-shaped 

 indusia. Sometimes this frond has a slight 

 fragrance when it is bruised. 



The Rigid Buckler Fern is really a mountain 

 species, and generally grows at an elevation of 

 more than a thousand feet above sea-level. It 

 is fairly common in parts of Yorkshire and in 

 some of the north-western counties of England, 

 otherwise it is a real rarity. It is not difficult 

 to grow in the garden, but as it flourishes best in 

 a limestone soil it is a good plan to mix bits of 

 this rock up with the soil which is used. The 

 new fronds appear in May and die down during 

 the winter. 



Polystichum (Aspidium) lonchitis. Here the 

 generic name is based on two Greek words, 

 polys, ''many," stichos, "order"; the specific 

 name is also derived from another Greek word 

 lonche, " a spear," this referring to the narrow 

 spear-like appearance of the fronds. The Holly 

 Fern. 



This species, on account of its regular habit 

 of growth and generally stiff appearance, is an 

 easy one to identify. The fronds arise from a 

 tufted root-stock, and in average specimens would 

 be about nine inches in length. This might be 

 greater or less, according to the conditions under 

 which the particular plant was living. The 

 shape of the fronds is narrowly lanceolate, and 



