ATHYRIUM. 87 



frond like an opened door, after the growth of the spore- 

 cases has disrupted its anterior margin, and eventually is 

 quite turned back. 



ATHYRIUM FILIX-FCEMINA, Roth. The Lady Pern. 

 (Plate XI.) v 



The Lady Pern, on account of the exquisite grace of its 

 habit of growth, the elegance of its form, and the delicacy 

 of its hue, claims precedence over every other British species ; 

 and this is more or less true of every one of its variable con- 

 ditions. The habit of the plant is tufted, the caudex of the 

 larger varieties often with age acquiring some length, and 

 elevating the circlet of fronds on a low, rude pedestal ; this 

 stem, however, never acquires more than a few inches in 

 length. In winter, the summit of this stem, whether a tuft 

 seated close to the ground, or elevated a few inches above 

 the surface, is occupied by a mass of incipient fronds, each 

 rolled up separately, and nestling in a bed of chaffy scales. 

 About May these fronds become developed, and from the 

 strong old roots a score or upwards are usually produced ; 

 they reach maturity early in the summer, during which time 

 a few additional fronds are generally developed from the 

 centre ; and the whole of them are destroyed by the autumn 

 frosts under ordinary circumstances. The form of the fronds 



