22 KIGID SHIELD FERN. 



adapted to a green-house or rock-work, in which the 

 fern might be planted. Each plant seems to adapt 

 itself to the circumstances by which it is surrounded 

 in its earliest state ; and in transplanting wild ferns 

 it is well to observe these closely, and adapt the arti- 

 ficial treatment as much as possible to them, not fol- 

 lowing exactly any one rule for the treatment of any 

 one species. There is no difficulty in obtaining young 

 shoots of this fern, as the seedlings are always most 

 abundant. 



RIGID SHIELD FERN. 



ASPIDIUM RIGID UM. 



[Swariz, /Smith, Hooker.] 



(Fig. 6.) 



SYNONYMS. 



LASTREA RIGIDA. Presl, Babinyton. 

 LOPHODIUM JRIGIDUM. N&wman. 



THIS species may be known from those to which 

 it is allied by several characteristics. The fronds are 

 comparatively small, generally broadest at the base, 

 always covered with minute glands, bipinnate; the 

 segments two to five-lobed, not spinulose ; the stem 

 always covered with long pointed scales, and, like 

 the Mountain Fern, it has a peculiar fragrance when 



