THE SPLEENWORTS. 



influence of the sea air. The true habitat of 

 the Sea Spleenwort is the open sea coast ; some- 

 times on the outside face of the rocks, and some- 

 times within shadowy caverns. It not only grows 

 in crevices in the rock, but on the rock itself, 

 into which it insinuates its roots. Sometimes it 

 grows on the roofs and at the sides of dripping 

 caverns ; and in such situations it will often 

 spread its roots like a web over the damp, stony 

 surfaces. 



Its fronds are leathery in texture ; and of so 

 bright, fresh, and shining a green colour, that it 

 is positively refreshing to look upon them. 

 Average specimens are six or eight inches long ; 

 but in dripping sea caves they sometimes hang 

 pendant from the roofs, and reach a length of as 

 much as eighteen inches. The shape of the frond 

 of the Sea Spleenwort is narrowly oblong, 

 broadest about the centre, narrowing slightly to- 

 wards the base, tapering upwards, and blunt- 

 pointed. On each side of the rachis is a simple 

 row of leaflets. These are arranged in pairs near 

 the bottom of the frond, but become alternated 

 towards the top. Immediately contiguous to, and 



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