94 HISTORY OF BRITISH FERNS. 



here, why we prefer this specific name to that of boreale, 

 which is now more commonly used. The name of Blechnum 

 Spicant was applied to this plant by Both, Relhan, With- 

 ering, Symons, and Hull, before that of B. loreale was 

 given to it by Swartz ; it has, therefore, unquestionably the 

 right of priority. Besides this, the specific name Spicant 

 has been used to distinguish this plant by nearly all the 

 older botanists, though they have held very conflicting views 

 as to the genus to which it belonged, referring it, for ex- 

 ample, among others, to Osmunda, to Onoclea, to Acrosti- 

 chum, and to Asplenmm. Thus all the evidence is in favour 

 of the name we adopt. 



BLECHNUM SPICANT, Both. The Hard Fern. (Plate 

 XVI. fig. 2.) 



The common name of this species is very appropriate, 

 from the rigid harshness of its texture. It is one of the few 

 native kinds which produce two distinct-looking kinds of 

 frond fertile and barren. The fertile ones have their 

 pinnae much narrowed, or contracted, as it is called, while 

 the fronds themselves are considerably taller than the bar- 

 ren ones. These fronds grow in large tufts, and being 

 very gracefully disposed, the plant becomes one of the most 

 ornamental of our wild species during the summer season, 



