160 HISTORY OF BRITISH FERNS. 



base ; each branch is again more or less repeatedly forked, 

 and the apices of all the forks are developed into irregular 

 fan-shaped leafy expansions, to which the term multifid is 

 applied. Sometimes the fronds are merely forked once or 

 twice, without being multifid, and this state has been called 

 lobatum ; in other cases the stipes itself becomes forked, 

 bearing multifid branches, and this has been called 

 ramosum. This multifid sort is fertile, and occurs in 

 many variations. 



A dwarf and highly ornamental variety is that called 

 laceratum, or sometimes endiviwfoUum, which was found 

 by Mr. Young, near Taunton, in Somersetshire. In this the 

 fronds are often nearly as broad as long, with the margin 

 deeply gashed into irregular lobes, the lobes being numerous, 

 crowded, and much undulated, sometimes tapering, some- 

 times more or less dilated at the apex, the basal pair often 

 considerably enlarged, and so much developed as to produce 

 an approach to the palmate form. 



The common Hartstongue is an inhabitant of hedge- 

 banks, of old walls, and sometimes of the interior of wells, 

 in which latter situation it acquires great luxuriance. It 

 is one of the more commonly distributed species in England 

 and in Ireland, less abundant in Scotland ; and also found 



