THE SHIELD KEENS. 



branches alternately placed along and on each 

 side of the mid-stem or rachis. These branches 

 are again divided into leaflets, each leaflet being 

 wing- shaped and attached to the mid-stem of 

 the branch by a short but distinct stalk. The 

 arrangement of these leaflets is as follows. The 

 mid-stems of the branches which, as before 

 stated, run at intervals along each side of the 

 rachis are placed at right angles with the latter. 

 On these branch mid- stems are arranged in the 

 most beautiful order, wing-shaped leaflets one 

 row above and one row underneath the stem. The 

 first leaflet next the rachis, on the upper part 

 of each stem, is larger than the others, but 

 with this exception all the leaflets gradually 

 become diminished in size as they run from the 

 rachis towards the point of each branch. This 

 gradation of leaflets over and under the stem 

 goes on until the branch ends in a point. Each 

 leaflet is sharply spiked or toothed, and hence the 

 prickly appearance of this Fern. The fronds are 

 dark green in colour and rigid in texture. When 

 the Hard Prickly Shield Fern has reached matu- 

 rity in September, the backs of all its leaflets, 



309 



