FILICES. 155 



this year, 1859, measured rather more than 4 feet), rigid, dark 

 green ; pinna? numerous, pinnate or lobed and pinnatifid. The 

 first anterior pinnule at the base of each of the pinna? is always 

 larger and longer the others, and all stand parallel on each side 

 of the main rachis, giving the upper surface of the frond a pecu- 

 liar appearance, by which it may readily be recognized, pinnules 

 mostly auricled on the anterior side, the auricles acute and, as 

 well as all the principal divisions, terminating in a sharp spinous 

 process. Venation composed of a flexuous midvein, giving off 

 alternate branches, which are again divided, the upper branch 

 giving off 2 or 3 venules and the lower from 3 to 4. Fructifica- 

 tion confined generally to the upper half of the frond. Sori 

 round, covered with an indusium, placed in a line on each side 

 of the midvein ; indusium round, attached by its centre. Spore- 

 cases dark brown, numerous. Very abundantly distributed. 

 Cliffwalks between Meadfoot and Ansti's Cove. Walks above 

 Meadfoot. Cockington lanes. Shiphay lanes. Paignton road. 

 Growing very bold and large in the Old British Boad, by the 

 side of the Paignton road. Bradley woods. Maidencombe. 

 Teignmouth road, etc. (Aspidium, E. B. t. 1562, and Hook, and 

 Arn. Br. Fl. Moore, Nat. Print. Ferns, 1. 10. Sowerby, Ferns, 

 t. 17.) P. VI.-YIII. 



2. P. angulare (angular, or soft prickly Shield-Fern.) 

 On shady hedgebanks and sheltered woods. " Fronds lax, her- 

 baceous, lanceolate, bipinnate ; pinnules distinct, acute or obtuse, 

 with an obtuse-angled base, attached by a distinct stalk, lobed OP 

 serrated, the serratures tipped by soft bristles ; sori terminal or 

 subterminal" (Moore's Handbook). Caudex thick and scaly; 

 stipes longer than in the last, from 4 to 6 inches long, scaly ; 

 scales reddish-brown, chafly, linear-lanceolate. Fronds from 2 to 

 4 feet high, lanceolate, bi-tripinnate, lax, green, more or less 

 arched or drooping, numerous, growing in a basket from around 

 the crown ; the pinnae are numerous, linear-lanceolate in shape, 

 and taper towards the apex. The first pinnule usually scarcely 

 longer than the rest, though sometimes it is much lengthened ; 

 each of the pinnules has a strong anterior auricle, either acute or 

 blunt, serrated, each serrature tipped with a slender bristle; pin- 

 nules attached to the secondary rachis by a distinct but short 

 stalk ; the venations consist of a flexuous midvein, which is 

 branched alternately, each branch again dividing into 2, 3, or 4 

 smaller branches, the anterior one of which bears a sorus near 

 its apex ; the auricle also has a branched vein which bears 3 or 

 4 sori. The fructification covers usually the upper two-thirds of 

 the frond, the sori are small and numerous, covered by a round 

 membranaceous indusium, which is attached by its centre ; spore- 

 cases brown. Cockington lanes. Shiphay lanes. Lane near 



