164 ASPLENIUM FONTANUM. 



A DWARF Fern, witli bipinnate, narrow, or linear-lanceolate 

 fronds, broadest upwards, rigid and glabrous. Fronds varying 

 from three to twelve inclies, usually four or five inches, and 

 dark green in colour. 



A very rare British Fern, growing on rocks and walls. 



It has been found in Hampshire, near Peterfield, in 1852, 

 by the Eev. W. H. Hawker; in Swanage Cave, Isle of Purbeck, 

 also in 1852, by Dr. Power; in Surrey, near Tooting, in 1845, 

 by Mr. Gibbs. INIr. A. Shepherd records it as found at 

 Matlock; Mr. R. M. Redhead in Wharncliffe Wood, Yorkshire; 

 Mr. P. Brown near Alnwick Castle, Northumberland; Mr. 

 Hudson (who first discovered it as British) at Wybourn, 

 Westmorland; Mr. D. Hutchison near Stonehaven, Kincar- 

 dineshire; and Mr. Newnham at Cavehill, near Belfast. 



It is found in France, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, 

 Germany, Hungary, Greece, Siberia, and Kashmir. 



Readily grown in a well-drained pot, and porous soil of 

 turfy peat, with a slight ]3ortion of friable loam and abundance 

 of gritty silver-sand. A greenhouse variety requiring care in 

 not over-watering. 



Caudex brief, erect, and somewhat scaly. 



Stipes brief, slender, dark purplish brown, becoming green 

 upwards. 



Rachis green, having a narrow elevated margin throughout, 

 reaching nearly to the stipes. 



Pinnte oblong-ovate, spreading, the basal ones smaller, more 

 distant, and palmately three-lobed. The upper ones crowded 

 and oblong. 



Pinnules roundish-obovate, tapering to the base; the basal 

 ones stalked, the upper ones decurrent, their margins spinosely- 

 mucronately dentate. 



Sori brief, oblong, most copious upwards, but covering the 

 whole under surface of the frond. 



Veins consisting of a flexuose costa with alternate simple 

 veins. 



There is a form known as Halleri, but it is doubtful whether 

 the variation is not owing to cultivation. 



There is also another form which Mr. Moore refers to this 

 species known as var. refractum, (Plate XLII. — B.,) whose 

 history is obscure. 



