76 ASPLENIUM ADTANTUM-NIGRUM. 



Asplenium acutum, Boey. Willdenow. Newman. 



" " Sadler. Presl. Fee. 



" virgilii, Bory. 



" productum, Lowe. 



Tarachia adlantum-nigriim, Presl. 



** ohtusa, Presl. 



" acuta, Presl. 



Asplenium — Spleenwort. Adiantum-nigrum — Black Adiantum. 



In the Section Adiantum-nigrum of Moore, Euasplenium 

 OF Fee, and Ruta-murari^ of Smith. 



The Black Spleenwort, f Asplenium adiantum-nigrum , J is a 

 readily distinguished species, and being so common, is well 

 known by all Fern cultivators. It is a handsome Fern, which 

 flourishes well in the open Fernery, but seldom successfully 

 grown under pot culture. 



It seems to have been introduced into the Royal Gardens, 

 Kew, in the year 1793. 



A hardy British species. Evergreen. 



Found all over Europe, being a native of France, Italy, 

 Spain, Portugal, Austria, Corsica, Cyprus, Sicily, TenerifFe, 

 Switzerland, Madeira, Azores, Algiers, Abyssinia, Cape of Good 

 Hope, St. Helena, Siberia, Russia, Arabia, Armenia, AfFghanistan, 

 Kashmir, Simla, Mussoorie, Jersey, Guernsey, Ireland, Scotland, 

 Wales, etc. 



Some authors have separated one or two of the varieties, and 

 placed them as distinct species, and of these the most distinct 

 is acutum, yet it is doubtful whether even this will prove to 

 be really distinct. 



The form of the frond is triangularly elongate, the pinnse 

 being obliquely triangular, and the pinnules ovate and toothed. 

 Bitripinnate. 



Stipes of the same length as the frond. Caudex short, thick, 

 and tufted. Stipes ebeneous. 



Sori linear-elongate, eventually becoming confluent. 



Length of frond from three to twenty-two inches; colour rich 

 dark green. 



