ASl'LENIIM. 



no 



GENUS VII. 



ASPLENIUM. LiNNyEus. 



An interesting group of Ferns which is somewhat well 

 represented in Great Britain. 



Fronds herbaceous or membranaceous, and coriaceous. Simple 

 lobed, pinnate, bipinnate, or decompound. The rachis or veins 

 in some proliferous. 



Caudex brief, erect or decumbent. 



Sori indusiate, linear, short or elongate. The receptacles 

 lateral, on the anterior side of the veins. Indusium linear and 

 membranaceous. Veins simple, or forked from a central costa. 



Asplcniimi differs from Athyrium in having the sori straight, 

 and from Scolope?idrium in having single fructification, that is, 

 not in pairs standing face to face. The spore-cases grow along 

 the side of the vein, and the indusium is also attached laterally. 

 The British Aspleninms are divided into two groups, namely, 

 Euasplenmm and Acroptei'is. 



In Euasplenium are lanccolatum, fontanum, adiantum-nigrumy 

 marinum, trichomanes, and ciride. 



In Acroptcris are ruta-innraria, Germanicum, and septen- 

 trionale. 



In Euasplenium we have the sori oblong or linear, with the 

 veins simple or forked, and diverging from a central costa; 

 and in Acropteris we have linear elongate sori, with flabellately- 

 forked veins without a costa. 



