WOODSIA. 181 



man; and has formerly been called Acrostichum alpinum, 

 Acrostickum hyperboreum, Polypodium liyperboreum, and 

 Polypodium arvonicum. 



The two English Woodsias are in Great Britain found 

 only in high mountain regions, where they grow from the 

 crevices of the moistened rocks. They are both rare, though, 

 from the inaccessible localities in which only they occur, 

 they may really be more abundant than is generally sup- 

 posed. Both also appear to be confined to the northern 

 parts of our hemisphere. 



From their rarity rather than their beauty these form 

 interesting pot-plants. They require to be kept in a cold 

 shady frame, to be potted in very porous soil, and to be 

 carefully guarded against drought or stagnant moisture. 



WOODSIA ILYENSIS, R. Brown. The Oblong Woodsia. 

 (Plate III. fig. 2.) 



A deciduous species, dying down to the ground annually 

 in winter, and reviving with the returning spring. Its very 

 short stems form tufts, which, if not disturbed, and are 

 situated under favourable circumstances, grow into large 

 masses, speaking comparatively with its diminutive stature. 

 The fronds average about four inches in height, and are less 

 frequently found larger than smaller than this. Their form 



