174 HISTORY OF BRITISH FERNS. 



circumstances, and have mostly a starved and stunted aspect. 

 They are not particular as to soil, excepting that such as 

 contains fibrous or half- decayed vegetable matter, or the 

 damp surface of some porous stone, is much preferable to 

 soil which is much spent and comminuted, as indeed is the 

 case with respect to all Ferns. 



The HartVtongue is sometimes called Scolopendrium offi- 

 cinarum, and has been named Scolopendrium P/iyllitidis, 

 Asplenium Scolopendrium, or Pkyllitis Scolopendrium. 



Genus XIY. TEICHOMANES, Linnaus. , 



THE Trichomanes is the most rare genus among our native 

 Eerns; the indigenous species, of which only one occurs, 

 being among the few which are met with very rarely indeed, 

 and within a very narrow range. It, however, is not the 

 most rare species, although very unfrequent, and local. 

 Unlike in texture all the other native kinds excepting the 

 Hymenophyllums, being quite pellucid, and of the most 

 delicately crisped appearance imaginable, it is soon distin- 

 guished by this mark alone. The fructification, too, is here 

 totally unlike that of all others, except the Hymenophyllums, 



