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with many fronds, growing three or four inches high, with a 

 black, smooth stalk up the middle, and often as many as 

 twenty or thirty pair of ovate leaflets up the sides of it. On 

 the under side of each of these are from two to six long spots 

 of dark brown seeds, covered at first with a whitish skin 

 which is fastened on one side of each of the spots ; but after- 

 wards, as the seeds grow, this cover is bent so far back by 

 them that it is scarcely visible, and thus the whole back of the 

 leaflet appears covered with seeds. 



WALL RUE. Asplenium Ruta-muraria, 

 Plate 14, jig. 16. 



Frond twice pinnate. Leaflets alternate, wedge-shaped, notched 



at the end. 



From one to four inches is about the height of this little 

 Fern, which grows on walls and ruins. The stalk has no 

 leaflets on the lower part of it upwards it has three or five 

 leaflets, which are again divided into others of a rounded or 

 wedge-shape, with long spots of covered seeds, like those of 

 the last species. 



BLACK MAIDEN HAIR. Asplenium Adiantum-nigrum. 



Plate 14, fig. 17. 

 Frond thrice pinnate. Leaflets alternate. Stem winged, black. 



On walls and rocks from four to eight inches or more high, 

 of a dark green color and stiff. The stem is smooth, has no 

 leaflets on the lower part of it, but above this is furnished with 

 double-cleft leaflets, placed alternately upon it, and those 

 nearest to the main stem by much the largest. It is a fine 

 shining, beautifully-formed plant, with large long spots of dark 

 brown seed, which very often cover the whole back of the 

 frond when old, and when young show very plainly their long, 

 white covers. 



FEMALE FERN. Asplmium Filix femince. 



Plate 14, fig. 18. 



Fronds lance-shaped, twice pinnate. Leaflets tapering, pointed. 



A most elegant and lovely plant, so much so indeed as to be 



called the Lady Fern, or in some places the Fairy Fern. Its 



