^^^ ALPINE LADY FEEN. 



Genus. — Pseudathyrium. Caudex large, massive, persist- 

 ent, its growing extremity always composed of a most obvious 

 crown of undeveloped fronds : pinnte with the first upper pin- 

 nule as large as or larger than the first lower, neither conspi- 

 cuously larger or longer than the second and succeeding pin- 

 nules: midvein of each pinnule distinct; lateral veins alternate, 

 running to the margin, where they cease : clusters of capsules 

 small, quite round, at first distinct, but sometimes crowded 

 when mature, always perfectly without involucre, seated on the 

 lateral veins, but not at their extremity. 



Species. — Alpestee. Caudex tufted: stipes very much 

 shorter than the frond : frond broad-lanceolate, pinnate : pinnte 

 numerous, crowded, sublinear, acute, pinnate : pinnules nume- 

 rous, approximate, adnate, broadest at base, subacute at apex, 

 lobed, lobes crenate : lateral veins branched : clusters on the 

 anterior branch, and apparently in the sinus of the pinnule. 



Polypodium alpestre, Koch, Syn. ed. 9. p. 974 ; Godet, Flore 

 clu Jura, 851 ; Moore, 50. 



Polypodium rhseticum, Pallas, It. 28 ; Fries, Siimma, 82 ; 

 Ledeboiir, Fl. Ross. xiv. 510 ; Woods, Tour. Fl. 423. 



Aspidium alpestre, Schkuhr, 58, t. 60. 



Aspidium rhseticum, Swartz, Syn. Fil. 59 ; Willd. Sp. PI. 

 V. 380 ; Sprengel, Syst. Veg. iv. 107. 



Pseudathyrium alpestre, Newm. Phytol. iv. 370, App. xiv. 



This fern is placed in the genus Polypodium or Aspidium, 

 according to the taste of the author describing it ; proving the 

 comprehensive character of those genera. I venture to give it 

 a new generic appellation, but offer no arguments La favour of 

 the course adopted, leaving it entirely to the better judgment 

 of future pteridologists to make their selection. The specific 

 name seems more readily settled : this fern has but two, alpes- 

 tre and rhseticum ; the latter was given by Linneus to Filix- 

 femina, but as the name of FUix-femina became generally 



