5 4 6 Fili ccs Scolopen driu m. 



many beautiful crested, fringed and variously lobed varieties. 

 Common in Britain and the temperate and arctic regions of the 

 north. 



Woodiudrdia orientalis is a handsome Japanese Fern of 

 large size with pinnate fronds and pinnatifid pinnse, and the 

 sunken sori in single rows parallel with the midrib. 



5. SCOLOPENDRIUM. 



Rhizome thick, tufted. Fronds tufted, simple, coriaceous. 

 Sori on the veins, in opposite transverse lines at right angles 

 to the midrib. Indusium linear, double. There are nine species, 

 found in temperate and tropical regions. The old Greek name. 



1. S. vulgare. Hart's-tongue Fern. A common species in 

 hedgerows and shady places, where the ligulate fronds vary from 



6 inches to 2 feet or more in length. The varieties are very 

 numerous, and many of them highly curious. This also has a 

 very wide range of distribution. 



G. ASPLENIUM. 

 (Including C&terdch and AtJiyriiim.') 



Rhizome tufted, or slightly elongated. Fronds simple or 

 compound. Sori on the veins, linear or oblong. Indusium 

 linear, membranous, attached to the vein and opening inwards. 

 A very large genus, including nearly 300 species, and repre- 

 sented in all except the very coldest countries. The name is 

 from o, privative, and cr-TrX?^, spleen, in allusion to the reputed 

 medicinal properties of some species. 



1. EUASPLENITJM. Indusium straight, narrow ; margin 

 entire or erose. Frond not scaly beneath ; veins free. 



1. A. Ruta-muraria. Wall Rue. This is the little tufted 

 Fern so common on walls and rocks, with irregularly bipinnate 

 fronds and cuneate pinnules. 



A. Germdnicum, syn. A. altemifolium, and A. septen- 

 trionale, are allied species of more erect growth, and fronds 

 with narrow, linear segments. They are both rare in Britain. 



2. A. Trichomanes. A dwarf tufted Fern with linear pinnate 

 fronds 4 to 8 inches long, and numerous oblong dark green 

 pinnules. Stipes dark brown, shining. Sori oblique. Fre- 

 quent in Britain on walls, banks, &c., and one of the most 

 attractive of small hardy species. Distribution general in the 

 north temperate zone. - 



