592 riLicEs. (ferns.) 



rise to new plants. (Asplenium rhizophyllum, L.) — Shaded rocks on the 

 mountains of Georgia, and northward. — Fronds 4'- 10' long. 



U. ASPLENIUM, L. 



Fruit-dots oblong or linear, oblique to the midrib, the indusium attached by 

 one margin to tlie mostly free veins, rarely curved, or double and attached to 

 both sides of the vein. 



§ 1 . ASPLENIUM Proper. — Indusia straight, attached by their whole length 



to the upper side of the vein; rareli/ some of them double, and placed back to back. 



* Fronds pinnatifid or simply pinnate. 



1. A. ptanatifldum, Nutt. Fronds lanceolate, acuminate, cordate at 

 the base, pinnatifid, or below sometimes pinnate, tlie roundish divisions obtuse, 

 crenate or serrate ; fruit-dots scattered. — Alleghanics of Alabama, and north- 

 ward. — Fronds 3' -6' long. A form with the lowest segment on each side 



"elongated horizontally and acuminate, has been found in Alabama by Mr. Beau- 

 mont. 



2. A. dentatum, L. Fronds linear-oblong, obtuse, pinnate ; pinna: 

 mostly opposite, 8-12 pairs on short but distinct stalks, roundish ovate (3" -4" 

 long), cuneate at the lower side of the base, and truncate at the upper side, cre- 

 nate or serrate, obtuse; fruit-dots 6 - 8 on each pinna, elongated, the one next 

 the rachis often double. — Carolina, Th. Moore, Florida, Binney. — Fertile fronds 

 4' -6' high, the stipe as long as the sterile fronds. 



3. A. TrichomaneS, L. Stipe and rachis slender, purplish blaclc and 

 shining; fronds many from the short rootstock, linear, pinnate ; pinna; numer- 

 ous, minute (2"- 3" long), roundish oblong, narrowed at the base and attached 

 to a raised point on the rachis; fruit-dots 4-8 on a pinna. (A. melano- 

 caulon, Willd.) — Kocks along the AUeghanies, and northward. — Fronds 4'- 

 8' high. 



4. A. ebeneum, Alton. Stipe and rachis purplish black and shining ; 

 fronds linear-lanceolate or spatulate, acuminate, pinnate ; pinnje numerous, ses- 

 sile, linear-oblong, auricled on one or both sides of the base, serrate or nearly 

 entire, those below the middle of the frond gradually shorter and dcflexed ; fruit- 

 dots 10-13 on a pinna. — Florida to Mississippi, and northward. — Fronds 6'- 

 18' high, l'-3' wide ; stipe very short. 



5. A. angustifolium, Michx. Fronds tall, lanceolate, pinnate; pinna) 

 numerous ; the sterile ones lanceolate from a truncate base j the fertile ones nar- 

 I'ower, and bearing 60 - 80 curved fruit-dots on the upper branches of the pin- 

 nate forking veins; indusia thickish, strongly convex. — Rich soil along the 

 mountains, and northward. — Fronds 1° -3° high, annual. Pinnse 2' -4' long, 

 4" -8" wide. 



* * Fronds 2 - 3-pinnate or pinnatifid. 



6. A. montanum, Willd. Fronds small, ovate-lanceolate, pinnate ; pin- 

 nas few, petioled, ovate or triangular; the lower ones pinnatifid ; the upper ones 

 incised ; divisions toothed or serrate ; fruit-dots very short, the basal ones often 



