104 HOLLY PEEN. 



peltate involucre, which is attached by its centre and is free at 

 its circumference : first superior pinnule greatly larger than the 

 second, and evidently larger than the corresponding inferior 

 pinnule : all the ultimate divisions of the frond end in acute 

 rigid spines : caudex woody, erect, long-enduring, and termi- 

 nating in a corona of fronds. 



Species. — Lonchitis. Caudex tufted : frond almost estipi- 

 tate, linear, rigid, leathery, glabrous : pinnee entire, auricled at 

 the base, crowded, overlapping, set on at an angle with the plane 

 of the rachis, serrated, serratures spined : clusters of capsules 

 circular, crowded, often confluent, confined to the upper parts 

 of the frond. 



Polypodium Lonchitis, Linn. Sp. PL 1548 ; Light/. Fl. Scot. 

 668 ; Huds. Fl. Aug. 455 ; With. Arr. 773 ; Sm. E. B. 

 797. 



Polipodium Lonchitis, Bolt. Fit. Brit. 34, t. 19. 



Aspidium Lonchitis {Swartz), Sm. E. F. iv. 384 ; Mack. Fl. 

 Hib. 388 ; Franc. 32 ; Hook, and Am. 568. 



Polystichum Lonchitis (Roth), Newm. N. A. 35, F. 163, Phyt. 

 App. xvi. ; Bab. 411 ; Moore, 83. 



This rare fern appears to have been very familiar to our 

 older botanists and herbalists, both here and on the continent 

 of Europe : it is mentioned by the Bauhins, Grerarde, Parkin- 

 son, Ray, and the anonymous author of the ' British Herbal,' 

 and has repeatedly been figured in a very characteristic man- 

 ner. All authors seem agreed on the specific name : the gene- 

 ric name is not so universally adopted ; but the species Lon- 

 chitis being the tj'pe of the genus Polystichum, and that name 

 being anterior to the conflicting one of Aspidium, there is little 

 doubt it wiU be eventually received, more especially as modern 

 pteridologists are agreed in restricting the genus Aspidium to 

 the three species placed as typical by its author, and such other 

 subsequently discovered species as agree therewith in essential 

 characters. The genus Aspidium, as instituted by Swartz, and 

 as restricted by Presl, contains Sp. 1, trifoliatum ; Sp. 3, ma- 

 crophyllum ; and Sp. 3, HeralceifoUum. 



