164 THE ROCK SPLEENWORTS. 



southern Ontario and Michigan to Alabama and Mis- 

 souri, always on rocks. It is also widely distributed in 

 the Old World. Newman in his " British Ferns " says 

 that throughout the northern, southern and western 

 counties of England and also in Wales, Scotland and 

 Ireland, this fern is to be found upon almost every ruin. 

 It is never so common with us and the collector who dis- 

 covers it in a new place is fortunate. Mrs. Parsons, in 

 " How to Know the Ferns," mentions a clump of this fern 

 no larger than the palm of one's hand, in which forty-five 

 fresh fronds were counted. The plant is not very easily 

 cultivated. 



The Mountain Spleenwort. 



The mountain spleenwort (Asplenium montanum) 

 greatly resembles the wall rue in 

 everything except numbers, but 

 the latter characteristic will pre- 

 vent its often being mistaken for 

 that species. It was first dis- 

 covered in the Carolinas by 

 Michaux who supposed it to be 

 an Old World species, Asplenium 

 Adiantum-nigrum. The points by 

 which it may most readily be dis- 

 tinguished from the wall rue, are 

 the less fan-shaped pinnules and 



MOUNTAIN SPLEENWORT. .. , , r J 



ntanum. the longer and narrower fronds. 



The rootstock is small and short-creeping, often produc- 

 ing short stubby lateral branches. The fronds are spread- 

 ing and when full grown are from two to six inches long. 

 They are about ovate-lanceolate, twice pinnate at the 



