poi,YSTif;nrM axoi'lare. 131 



inches and a half. Stipes and rachis, and secondary rachis 

 densely covered with pale bro\vn scales; stem flexuose. Colour 

 a rich deep green. Pinna? somewhat distant; the basal ones 

 alternate, the largest opposite, above which sub-opposite, and 

 then alternate. The length of the pinnae are — basal one inch, 

 second and third two inches, fourth three inches, sixth to 

 twelfth two inches and a half to one inch and a half, 

 thirteenth to twenty-second one inch and a half to half an 

 inch, the remainder varying from nothing to half an inch. In 

 the lower half of the frond the pinnules are, wuth very few 

 exceptions, all equal in size, all of them distinctly stalked, 

 except the extreme apex; broad, somewhat ovate, crenate, and 

 distinctly spinose, indistinctly auricled, except the basal pinnules. 

 The superior basal pinnule lobed on either side, the lobe 

 occasionally distinctly stalked, and almost circular in from. 

 The apices of the pinnae end bluntly and abruptly, the apical 

 pinnule frequently larger than the other pinnules. In the 

 upper half of the frond the pinnules are much smaller, laciniated, 

 very dissimilar, occasionally quite linear; many are triangular, 

 and most have a cuneate base. The number of pinnules on each 

 pinna varies from none or one to eight; mostly three, whilst 

 those on the basal portion vary from eight to fifteen. I 

 am indebted to Mrs. Thompson for fronds of this lovely Fern, 



Fig. 107. — Piima near the apox and lMi.«aI pinna. 



Erastox, Lowe. (Fig. 107.)— Found in Devonshire, by the 

 Rev. Charles Padley, of Bulwell Hall, Nottinghamshire. Length 

 of frond sixteen inches, width in ^videst part five inches. 

 Lanceolate and bipinnate. Pinnae alternate, about twenty-three 

 pairs. Pinnules, except near the apex, ovate-falcate or concavo- 

 convex, having a small auricle, which is profoundly divided on 



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