LADY FERN AND SPLEENWORTS 71 



to the Common Rue (Ruta graveolens). The 

 Wall Rue. 



A very charming little species, with which 

 most people who take the least interest in 

 Ferns are probably familiar. In reality this 

 plant is a rock Fern, but it often finds a con- 

 genial home on old walls. The Wall Rue has 

 a tufted root-stock which is furnished with 

 a quantity of fibrous roots ; these often force 



Asplenium ruta-muraria. The Rue- leaved Spleen wort. 



their way for a considerable distance into the 

 crevices. From the root-stock arise a number 

 of little fronds ; where the situation is dry, 

 and the battle for existence is a hard one, 

 these may not be more than a couple of inches 

 in length. In damp situations the fronds 

 might measure three times as much. Where 

 the examples are dwarfed the stipes will be 

 about the same length as the leafy portion, 

 but in a well -developed instance it will be 

 much longer. The colour of the fronds is of a 



