THE POLYPODIES. 



triangular. The stem is exceedingly brittle and 

 herbaceous, and its lower portion is covered with 

 light scales. The leafy part of the frond is in 

 colour a light delicate green, and it has a pecu- 

 liarly downy appearance. On each side of the 

 rachis is a row of leaflets, shortening as they 

 near the point of the frond. These leaflets are 

 narrow and tapering, terminating in a point, and 

 the lowest and longest pair stand on the rachis 

 or midrib of the frond, quite distinct from the 

 others ; but those on the upper portion of the 

 frond are connected by a sort of leafy wing, which 

 runs on each side of the rachis; and in this way 

 the leaflets become gradually merged, until the 

 frond ends in a serrated apex. One peculiarity 

 about this Fern must be noted. The lowest, and 

 also the longest, pair of leaflets are turned down- 

 wards, their points being directed from the rachis 

 obliquely towards the ground, giving a curious 

 appearance to the frond. Along the entire length 

 of each leaflet, under a sort of marginal arrange- 

 ment, lie the spore-cases, in little, round, unpro- 

 tected clusters. The leaflets themselves are deeply 

 notched or cleft, those on the lowest part of the 



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