190 HISTORY OF BRITISH FERNS. 



tion, showing the points where annual growths have com- 

 menced and terminated. It is also known by its narrow 

 leaves spreading out from the stem on all sides, and ar- 

 ranged in five indistinct rows. It is a large-growing 

 species, often a foot high, with irregularly branched stems, 

 which, after they have produced fruit-spikes, or have reached 

 an equivalent age, become depressed, rooting at intervals, and 

 throw up another series of upright branches. Mr. Newman, 

 in his account of these plants, states that the spike is 

 usually on the sixth or seventh joint or annual growth of 

 the branches ; and this appears to be pretty, generally the 

 case, though the branches are by no means all fertile. The 

 annual increase of the stems is well marked by the closer 

 pressed and shorter leaves which occur at the upper part 

 of each growth, and this is what gives the interrupted ap- 

 pearance to the stems. The leaves, which do not decay for 

 several years, are linear-lanceolate in form, and have their 

 margins minutely serrulate, and their apex drawn out and 

 terminating in a rigid point ; they are attached directly to 

 the stems without stalks, and are arranged in an indistinctly 

 spiral or somewhat five- ranked order. The lower leaves, 

 that is to say, those remaining on the older portions of the 

 stem, are more spreading than those on the younger 



