230 SCOLOPENDRIUM VULGARE. 



Asplenium elongatum., Salisbury. {Not q/"SwAKTZ, Poieet, 



WiLLDENOW, SfRENGEL, DeSVAUX, 



Peesl, Kunze, Fee, or J. Smith.) 



" scolopendrium, LinnjEUS. Bolton. 



BlecJtnum linguifolium, Stokes. 



PJiyllitis scolopendrium, Newman. 



" polyscJiiJes, Kay. 



" crispa, J. Bauhin. 



" multifida, Gerard. 



Scolopendrium— Yy&nvQ^ from Scolopendra, a genus of myriapods, 



because the lines of fructification resemble these many-legged crawling 



animals. Vulgare — Common. 



This elegant Fern is an inhabitant of moist shady banks 

 and woods, delighting to groAV amongst underwood; also on 

 damp rocks, walls, ruins, bridges, and the mouths of old w^ells 

 and caves. 



Spread throughout England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales, 

 yet more or less local. It is most abundant in Ireland and 

 the Channel Isles, owing to the more humid climate, and less 

 abundant in Scotland than in England. Found at all altitudes 

 up to six hundred feet, from the sea-side to the most inland 

 situations; at Scarborough and Morecambe Bay, for instance, 

 growing on the rocks exposed to the sea. 



It is a native of the Island of Gothland (in the Baltic,) 

 Russia, Holland, France, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, Spain, 

 Germany, Portugal, Turkey, Greece, Dalmatia, Algeria, Madeira, 

 the Azores, Caucasus, Ural Mountains, Turcomania, Erzeroum, 

 Persia, United States of America fnot common,) Mexico, Orkney, 

 and Shetland. 



The Scolopendrium mdgare from its distinct character, cool, 

 refreshing-looking fronds, and elegant appearance, is deservedly 

 a general favourite, and very largely cultivated in our Ferneries, 

 and when planted en masse produces a pleasing feature, its 

 simple fronds contrasting greatly with the species having much 

 divided fronds. 



It is successfully cultivated in a mixture of loam, peat, and 

 sand; and imder pot-culture it is essential to secure good 

 drainage. It is readily propagated from divisions, and is easily 

 reproduced from spores. 



