Fig. 42.— Portion of mature Frond— upper side. 



POLYSTICHUM LONCHITIS. 

 Roth. 



The Alpine Shield Fern, or Holly Fern. 



PLATE XII. 



Polystichum lonehith, Eoth. Schott. Deakix. 



" " IS'ew.max. Babixgton. Moohe. 



Aspidium lonchitis, Sv/aetz. Schkchb. Smith. 



" " HOOKES AND AeXOTT. E. J. LoWE. 



" aspernm, Geat. 



Pohjpodium lonchitis, Li>-x.i:us. Bolton. Smith. 



Polysticlium — From the Greek, polys — many, and sticJios — order. 

 Lonchitis — Spear-like. 



The present species is one but seldom seen growing wild 

 by Fern cultivators, on account of its peculiarly local and 

 mountain habitats, growing at an elevation of from one thousand 

 two hundred to above three thousand feet. It must also rank 

 amonsrst our rarer British Ferns. 



