213 



LADY FEEN. 



1. Babington's Lady Fern: Athybium convexum : Athy- 

 EiUM FiLix-FEMiNA, var. convexum. 



Athyrium rhsetioum, Roth, Flor. Germ. iii. 67 ; Newm. N. A. 

 26; Moore, 136. 



Athyrium Filix-femina, var. convexum, Newm. F. 345. 



Athyrium Filix-foemina, a., Bab. 413. 



Athyrium convexum, Newm. Phytol. App. xiii. 



I think it preferable to abandon the Linnean name of rhse- 

 ticum, for the reason I have already stated ; although I am 

 ■willing to admit that it may possibly belong here. 



This fern is common in France and Grermany, and I have no 

 reason to doubt its general distribution on the continent of 

 Europe. 



In Britain it rather affects exposed than sheltered situations. 

 I have observed it in Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, Surrey, 

 Sussex, and Kent : it is less abundant, or less observed, than 

 the form next to be described. 



Eadicles very stout and strong, adhering to the soil with 

 great tenacity : caudex very large and stout, alvyays composed 

 of a great number of crowns, from which the fronds, rising si- 

 multaneously, appear totally without symmetrical arrangement : 

 stipes short, very stout just above its base, and appearing 

 almost inflated, and there bearing a few long, pointed, brown 

 scales, which are more or less tipped with black: frond of mode- 

 rate size, pale yellow-green, erect, rigid, linear-lanceolate, pin- 

 nate : stipes and rachis quadrangular, semipellucid, and often 

 coloured with purple or red : pinnae distant, at first ascending. 



