60 aspidium cristatum. 



In the Section Lastrea of Authors. 



The Crested Buckler Fern is a very local and at the same 

 time singular and beautiful species. It is upright in habit, 

 having a long narrow frond, with large bold fructification, 

 which is almost black soon after the indusium has been shed. 

 It is a difficult Fern to grow, owing to its native habitat 

 being a boggy situation. When in cultivation as an out-door 

 Fern, if planted in peaty soil near water, it will flourish as 

 well as when growing wild, but in less favourable situations 

 it will become weaker every year, until it finally, in two or 

 three years, dies. In its native situations it appears to prefer 

 growing on the sides of large tufts of Aira ccespitosa and 

 other swampy grasses. 



Botanists seem of opinion that another upright-growing Fern 

 constantly found amongst it is merely a variety, yet from a 

 vast number of examples that I have examined, the distinctive 

 differences are so great that it seems more natural to separate 

 them. Indeed the so-called variety Uliginosum will flourish in 

 an open Fernery in situations which would prove fatal to Erhart's 

 Fern. It also ripens its fructification earlier in the summer, 

 and the fronds fade away in autumn, shrivelling up in a similar 

 manner to what is observed with the Lady Fern, whilst As- 

 pidium cristatum remains green far into winter, and the fronds 

 do not shrivel up, breaking near the ground, and thus causing 

 them to be prostrate before they have faded away. 



A hardy deciduous species, indigenous to Great Britain, 

 growing in boggy situations in Norfolk, Sufiblk, Nottingham- 

 shire, and Cheshire. Generally dispersed throughout Europe 

 and North America. 



Frond upright, narrow, linear-oblong, tapering at the apex, 

 sub-bipinnate. Pinnae numerous, and broadly triangular near the 

 base, being more elongate near the centre of the frond. Pin- 

 nules blunt, adnate; basal lobes serrate, the rest inciso-crenate, 

 except at the apex. 



Veins forked. 



Fructification usually occupying the upper half of the frond. 



Sori circular, numerous, indusiate, and medial. Indusium 

 reniform, flat, and membranous. 



