FTLICES. G29 



Asia ; in North and South America, and generally in the southern hemi- 

 sphere. Frequent in Britain. Fr. summer and autumn. The angular S. 

 (A. angulare, Eng. Bot. Supi^l. t. 2776) is a rather larger, rnore luxuriant, 

 and less stiff variety, usually more divided, jvith more distinct segments, 

 the lower ones evidently stalked. 



3. Marsh Sbieldfern. Aspidium Thelypteris, Sw. 



{Lastrea, Bab. Man. Marsh Fern.) 



Eootstock creeping, witli single, not tufted, erect fronds, as in the Beech 

 Polypody, to which this Fern bears considerable resemblance. It is taller, 

 usually 1 to 2 feet high, quite glabrous, with a rather slender but stiff stalk, 

 without scarious scales. The leafy part lanceolate, pinnate, with deeply 

 pinnatifid pinnas, which are not crowded, and the lowest rather distant and 

 smaller ; all attached to the central stalk by their midrib or by a veiy short 

 stalk ; the lobes or segments entire, obtuse or scarcely pointed. Sori in 

 lines near the edges, distinct at first, with an indusium attached near the 

 edge, but soon covering nearly the whole under surface and concealing the 

 indusium. 



In boggy or marshy places, throughout Europe and Russian Asia, except 

 the extreme north, and in North America, and perhaps also in the southern 

 hemisphere. In Britain, usually very local, but dispersed over England, 

 Ireland, and southern Scotland. Fr. summer and autumn. 



4. Mountain Shieldfern. Aspidium Oreopteris, Sw. 



{Polypodhim, Eng. Bot. t. 1019. Lastrea, Bab. Man. Stveet Mountain 



Fern.) 

 The statvire, mode of growth in circular tufts, and the general shape of 

 the frond are those of the male S., from which it may be distinguished by a 

 lighter colour, especially of the stalk, and by the lobes or segments of the 

 pinnas all quite entire, with the small sori in a Une near the margin as in the 

 marsh S. From the latter it differs in its larger size, the stalk bearing 

 brown scarious scales, the pinnas so closely sessile as almost to lap over the 

 central stalk ; and from both this species may be known by the minute 

 resinous or glandular dots on the under side of the fronds, from whence a 

 fragrant smell is imparted to the plant when rubbed. 



In mountain heathy districts, and moist open woods, in temperate Europe, 

 from northern Spain and Italy to Scandinavia, and eastward to Moscow. 

 Generally dispersed over Britain, but more especially in Scotland, northern 

 and weatem England, and in Ireland. Fr. summer and autumn. 



5. Male Shieldfem. Aspidium Filis-mas, Sw. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 1458. Lastrea, Bab. Man. Male Fern.) 

 Eootstock short but thick, woody, and decumbent or rising sometimes 

 obUquely a few inches from the gi-omid. Fronds handsome, in a large cii-- 

 cular tuft, 2 or 3 feet high, stiff and erect, broadly lanceolate, with the lower 

 pinnas decreasing, as in most Shield/ems, regularly 'pinnate; the pinnas deeply 

 pinnatifid or pinnate ; the segments regularly oblong, slightly curved, very 

 obtuse, slightly toothed, connected at the base or the lowest ones distinct ; 

 the main stalk very shaggy with brown scarious scales. Sori rather large, 

 near the base of the segments, with a conspicuous, nearly peltate or kidney - 

 shaped indusiiun. 



In woods and shady situations, along moist banks, etc., throughout Eu- 

 rope and central and Eussian Asia, from the Mediten-anean to the Arctic 



3h2 



