LADY FERN AND SPLEENWORTS 85 



roots. From the crown the two kinds of 

 fronds are sent up. We may first consider 

 the barren fronds : these vary according to 

 the conditions under which the plant is 

 growing, and range from a few inches up to 

 one or two feet in height. The stipes is very 

 short and it is of a brownish colour, with a 

 few scales. The leafy part of the frond is 

 narrowly lanceolate, tapering slightly at the 

 point but more decidedly at the base. On 

 either side of the rachis, which is green, are 

 arranged the pinnae ; these are not opposite, 

 but are in alternation. The pinnae are narrow 

 and oblong, and at the tip the frond tends to 

 become pinnatifid, whilst at the base the 

 pinnae are little more than rounded lobes. 

 The frond has been not inaptly likened to a 

 double comb. The fertile frond has much 

 the same outline as the barren one ; it is, 

 however, easily distinguished by its greater 

 length and the extremely narrow pinnae. These 

 fertile fronds arise from the centre of the 

 clump and are at their best about the month 

 of June. They are very erect in their growth. 

 The sporangia are borne along the margins of 

 the pinnae of the fertile fronds. The borders 

 of the pinnae seem to curl over and protect the 

 sporangia ; by a close examination it is easy to 

 discover the independent indusia. When the 

 spore capsules ripen they spread so that the 

 whole of the underside of the pinnae is covered. 

 The texture of both the barren and the fertile 

 fronds of the Hard Fern is very leathery. 



The Hard Fern is, of course, a very common 

 species, to be found all over the United 

 Kingdom. The plant is of a simple culture 

 and is evergreen in habit. 



