SECT. VIII. 



ASPLENIE&. 



35 1 



of a vein or veinlet, and enclosed within a tubular indu- 

 sium, which is either short and approaching to cup- 

 shaped, or more or less elongated. In this group the 

 stem assumes the form of a rhizome, often creeping 

 extensively, and the fronds are articuled, falling off 

 with a clean scar when they perish. Davallia cana- 

 riensis is cultivated in most conservatories, and is known 

 as the Hare's-foot fern, from the stoutish scaly rhizomes 

 resembling the foot of a hare. 



Somewhat allied to these are the Lindsseese, including 

 Lindssea and its allies ; these have linear marginal sori, 

 for the most part continuous, but sometimes regularly 

 interrupted, in which state they approach some of the 

 Davalliese, Microlepia to wit. The indusium opens 

 towards the margin of the frond, and the sori more or 

 less connect the tips of the veins and veinlets. 



The group of Asplenieae is a very comprehensive one, 

 including, besides the extensive typical genus Asplenium, 

 the cognate subdivisions of Diplaziese and Scolopendriese. 

 The latter is represented by Scolopendrium vulgare, the 

 Hart's-tongue fern, in which the sori are linear, and 

 situated in pairs on two parallel veins, so closely ap- 

 proximate that, though really double, they seem to form 

 but one straight line ; they are not covered with one 

 indusium splitting down 

 the middle, but each has 

 its own indusium opening 

 in opposite directions. On 

 the under-surface of the 

 long strap-shaped entire 

 fronds of the common 



Hart's-tongue, which is a Fig * 61 - Scolopendriumvulgare. 



type of the genus, the double sori with their opposite 

 indusiaform parallel equidistant straight lines, diverging 

 on each side from the mid- vein of the frond, as in fig. 

 61. The fronds are cordate at the base ; sometimes they 



