BRITISH FERNS. 



ADIANTUM. 



Sori oval on the inner surface of the Indusium. 

 Indusium a projected continuation of the 

 bleached recurved margin of the pinnule 

 itself. 



ADIANTUM CAPILLUS VENERIS. Fig. 25. (True 

 Maiden Hair.} From 4 to 12 inches. Root 

 tufted. Growing in masses, but the fronds 

 separating and arching asunder. A perfect 

 miniature tree. A thin, thread-like, pur- 

 plish, stem, with yet finer, same coloured, 

 alternate, pinnae, bearing alternate, smooth, 

 but not polished, stalked, fan-shaped, deli- 

 cate, pinnules, either simply indented and 

 notched in the barren, or turned over and 

 prolonged into an indusium from their 

 margin in the fertile, ones. Unique in its 

 appearance and texture, and altogether 

 unlike the tribe in general. Sori arranged 

 in oval spots, longest across the Indusium? 

 but soon uniting into a line. May. Some- 

 times much earlier, December or January. 



