SCOLOPENDRIUM. 155 



exceedingly interesting. There is only one Brltisli species, 

 but of this there are numerous varieties, which have a 

 perfectly distinct aspect, owing to peculiarities in their 

 development. They are all evergreen, and on this account, 

 as well as by reason of their hardihood and bold striking 

 appearance, they are among the most ornamental of all 

 Ferns for out-door rockwork. The genus is known by 

 the peculiarities of its sori, which, though forming parallel 

 oblique lines at intervals on each side the midvein, and 

 having the appearance of being single if seen when mature, 

 are in reality composed of two sori, set face to face, and so 

 close together as to become confluent along their whole 

 length. This is best seen just at the stage when the 

 indusia are bursting ; indeed, at a later stage of develop- 

 ment an unpractised eye would probably fail to observe 

 any evidence that such was really the structure. The 

 fructification, technically speaking, consists of sori con- 

 fluent in pairs, the two sori forming each pair being placed 

 face to face. 



Scolopendriuvi is merely an alteration of Scolopendra, 

 the scientific name of the insect better known as the 

 centipede ; and the name is applied from a fancied resem- 

 blance (in the position, we suppose) between the feet of 



