196 HARDY FERNS. 



other parts of England. A very handsome Fern, keeping its 

 fronds green through the winter. Grows well on old stumps 

 of trees in rockwork. There are several varieties of this fine 

 Fern, of which P. a. lobatum is the most distinct. 



P. ANGULARE (Angular). This is also a British Fern, and 

 has been found also in some parts of Germany. Fronds soft 

 and drooping, growing 2 feet long. This species is easily 

 known by its stalks being very woolly or chaffy. Spore-masses 

 numerous. Evergreen, and increased by dividing large, many- 

 tufted plants. It is a fine Fern, and grows well in not-over- 

 shady woods, in leaf mould and loam. Of this plant again 

 there are several well-marked varieties, as, for instance, 

 P. a. cristatum (Crested), and P. a. polydactylum (Many- 

 fingered). In the first-named all the pinnae terminate in 

 tassels, while in the latter the terminations are forked into 

 two or three divisions. Wollastoni (Mr. Wollastou's), is a 

 very pretty and distinct form. Proliferum, as the name 

 implies, produces many young plants upon its fronds. There 

 are still several other forms of this Fern, as dissimile, decom- 

 positum., grandidens, fyc. 



P. LONCHITIS (Holly Fern). A stiff-growing, fine species, 

 native of England and some parts of Scotland, but by no 

 means common. Fronds pinnate, a foot high, very hardy, and 

 evergreen, narrow, lance-shaped, and of a deep green colour ; 

 pinnae short and thickly set on the frond, very thorny, like 

 the leaves of the Holly. Stalks covered with chaffy scales. 

 Slow to increase ; but sometimes a second tuft is produced on 

 the rootstock, which may be taken off when rooted. Found 

 chiefly amongst rocky regions : hence it should be grown on a 

 little hillock of stones, in peat and loam. It is one of the 

 finest of our native Ferns, and should be in every collection. 



P. SETOSUM (Bristly). From Japan. A very handsome 

 hardy evergreen Fern, with ovate-acuminate bipinnate fronds, 

 2 to 3 feet high. The pinnules trapezio-oblong, acute, auricled 

 and fringed with stiff hairs. 



