FILICES. 117 



lias erect fronds with a general appearance, as is well known, very 

 similar to that of Athyrium Filix-fccmina, for which indeed it was 

 long mistaken. Flexile on the other hand, has somewhat narrower 

 and more tapering fronds, with the stipes bent or elbowed a little 

 above its attachment to the rachis (caudex ? Ed.), and in consequence 

 the frond is far from erect, and, in fact in many cases is nearly parallel 

 to the surface of the earth, which, with the deflexed pinnae and the 

 pinnules narrowed at the base, give a very distinct appearance. In 

 addition, it is almost invariably smaller than alpestre — generally very 

 much smaller — and, though the name implies a more pliant structure 

 than alpestre, I think in reality it is more rigid." 



Flexile Lady-fern. 



GENUS XIII.-A SPLENIUM. Linn. 



Fronds produced from the apex of the caudex, usually approximated, 

 rarely solitary, often coriaceous or subcoriaceous, varying from simple 

 to decompound, not densely scaly beneath. Stipes not articulated to 

 the caudex, containing 1 or 2 vascular bundles which unite upwards, 

 and give a 3- or 4-lobed section in the centre of the stipes. Veins 

 simple or forked, free. Scales composed of short cells, with their 

 boundaries greatly thickened, and of a much deeper brownish-red 

 colour than the rest of the cell. Sori oblong or linear, straight or 

 slightly curved, attached along the side of the veins. Indusium 

 attached along the vein, of the same shape as the sorus. 



Name from a (a) without, aud cnrkijv (splcn) the spleen, which like the English 

 name (Spleenwort), indicates the belief formerly entertained that the plant was a remedy 

 for disorders of the spleen. 



SPECIES I.-ASPLENIUM FONTANUM. Bemh. 



Plate 1872. 



Babcnh. Crypt. Vase. Europ. Exsicc. No. 33. 



A. Halleri, Spreng. Koch, Syn. Fl. Germ, et Helv. ed. ii. p. 982. Gren. & Godr. Fl. 



de Fr. vol. iii. p. 635. Babenh. 1. c. 

 Athyrium fontanum and A. Halleri, Both, Fl. Germ. vol. iii. pp. 59 and 60. 

 Aspidium fontanum, Swartz. Sm. Eng. Bot. No. 2024. 

 Polypodium fontanum, Linn. Spec. Plant, p. 1550. 



Caudex short, dividing into several scaly crowns ; scales strap- 

 shaped-triangular, entire, very acute. Fronds several from each crown, 

 ascending or spreading. Stipes wiry, much shorter than the lamina, 

 purplish-brown at the base, green at the upper part, margin with a 



