186 



HAEDY FERNS. 



peculiar colour greyish-green, with a shade of blue, when 

 seen in strong sunshine ; pinnse sharp-pointed and oblong. 

 Pinnules oval, blunt-ended, the largest next to the stem, and 



notched on the edge. Stalk chaffy. 

 Spore-masses placed near the mar- 

 gin. Rootstock tufted and very 

 large. This rare Fern is very 

 slow to increase except by spores. 



L. NOVEBOBACENSIS (New 



York). As its name imports, this 

 Pern is from North America, 

 growing about a foot high. Fronds 

 very slender, covered with short 

 hairs, lance-shaped, and pinnated ; 

 pinnae lance-shaped, without stems, 

 deeply-divided, narrow. Spore- 

 masses medial. Eootstock creep- 

 ing. Easily increased by division : 

 hence this pretty dwarf Fern is 

 by no means rare. 



L. OBEOPTERIS (Mountain 

 Fern). A pretty British species, 

 with an agreeable perfume. Fronds 

 2 feet high, pinnate, and the pinna? 

 beautifully divided into oblong 

 flat segments. Spore-masses near 

 the margin. Stem very short and 

 chaffy. Rootstock tufted: hence 

 it is slow of increase. This is one of our handsomest Ferns, 

 and is found pretty plentifully in high situations, on the shady 

 sides of hills. Known also as Z. montana. 



L. EECURVA (Bent-back). Mr. Watson names this Lastrea 

 Fcenisecii : it is generally known by Mr. Newman's name, 

 recurva. It is a native of this country, and is a neat, compact, 

 evergreen, hardy Fern. We have several plants of it that 



Fig. 76. Lastrea marginalis. 

 (Pinna natural size.) 



