628 THE rERN FAMILY. 



On moist shady banks, in the Mediterranean region and western Europe, 

 extending eastward into central India, and northward up western France to 

 the Channel Islands, the only station within our Mora. It reappears in the 

 southern hemisphere. Fr. spring and summer. 



VII. SIXZX:X.DFERIff. ASPIDIUM. 



Fronds (in the British species) once, twice, or thrice pinnate, with a stiflf 

 erect stalk, usually bearing, at least at the base, numerous brown scarious 

 scales. Sori cu-cular as in Polypody, but covered when young by a mem- 

 brane or indusium, attached by the centre or by a point near one side, so 

 that, when raised all round by the growth of the spore-cases, it becomes 

 either peltate or kidney-shaped. 



A very large genus, ranging over every part of the globe, only distin- 

 guished from Polypody by the indusium. In modern British Fern-books 

 it is usually divided into two, Lastrea and Polystidhum, according to 

 whetlier the attachment of the indusium is central or towards the margin, 

 a minute character, unconnected with habit, often difficult to appreciate, and 

 sometimes inconstant. The Table of Species wUl be found under the Generic 

 Table above, p. 623, n. 13. 



1. Holly Shieldfern. Aspidium Iioncliitis, Sw. 



{Polypodium, Eng. Bot. t. 797, Polystiehum, Bab. Man. Holly Fern.) 

 Stock short and thick. Fronds tufted, usually 6 inches to a foot high or 

 rather more, stiff, linear-lanceolate in their general outline, simply pinnate, 

 leafy from the base, the common stalk very scaly below. Segments mostly 

 broadly lanceolate or almost ovate, curved, prickly-toothed, enlarged at the 

 base on the inner or upper side into a toothed angle or lobe, all nearly ses- 

 sile, but attached by the midrib only, stiff, glabrous above, with a few scaly 

 hairs underneath; the central ones about an inch long; the lower ones 

 smaUer and broader, often ovate. Sori circular, rather large, with a pel- 

 tate indusium in the centre, which is however not very conspicuous. 



In tlie clefts of rocks, in aU the great mountain regions of Europe and cen- 

 tral and Russian Asia, fi'om Spain and Italy to the Arctic regions, and in 

 North America. In Britain, only in the mountains of Scotland, northern 

 England, North Wales, and Ireland. Fr. summer and autumn. 



2. Prickly Shieldfern. Aspidium aculeatum, Sw. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 1562, and A. lobatum, t. 1563. Polystiehum, Bab. Man.) 

 Fronds tufted, arising from a short thick stock, 1 to 2 feet or rather more 

 high, stiff, twice pinnate, broadly lanceolate in outline, with the lower pin- 

 nas decreasing in length ; the stalk below the leafy part 1 to 6 inches long, 

 very shaggy with brown, scarious scales. Primary branches or pinnas 

 shaped hke the whole frond of the Holly S. in miniature, being pinnate, with 

 their segments shortly ovate-lanceolate, curved and prickly-toothed, vrith a 

 prominent angle or lobe on the inner or outer side ; the lower ones, or some- 

 times nearly aU, attached by tbeir midrib; the upper ones decm'rent on the 

 stalk or united at the base. Sori rather small, with a central but not very 

 conspicuous indusium. 



On hedge-banks and in shady places, in temperate and southern Europe, 

 from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, extending eastward into central 



