634 poLYPODiACEiE. [Pteus. 



13. By the roadside from Bonchurch lo St. Boniface, neav Dyer's cottage, S 

 Hailstone, jun., Esq. ! 



Rhizoma lliict, hard, fleshy aud yellowish within, hlackish without, and imbri- 

 cated with the ascendini; bases of the present aud former year's fronds, emitting 

 copious long;, blacki'-h, flexuose and wiry fibres. Fronds mostly very numerous, 

 firm in texture, everg;reen, from about 12 to 20 inches or 2 feet in lenirth and from 

 2J to 3 inches wide, at first erect, becoming gradually more horizontal, and forra"- 

 ing at length dense spreading tufts, drooping or recurved at the summit, oblong- 

 lanceolate, acute, mostly entire, sometimes 2-, 3- or many-cleft at the extremity, 

 more or less cordate at base or even auriculate, the lobes meeting or nearly so, 

 sometimes unequal, undulate on the margin, bright green above and shining 

 finely rugoso-striate. Stipes dark brown or blackish, very variable in relative 

 length to the frond, from one-tenth (Newm.) to full half that of the latter, terete, 

 somewhat flattened above, clothed wiih pale brown, beautifully reticulated, chaflfy, 

 acute scales, that are very loosely adhering or attached. Venation obscurely inarked, 

 proceeding directly from the midrib of the frond and nearly at right angles to it, 

 inclining a little forwards towards the apex, the primary veins foiked near 

 their origin and again at some indeterminate distance between that and the mar- 

 gin. Sori linear, central on either side between the margin and midrib of the 

 frond, occupying the space between the outer branches of each vein or system of 

 veins. Indusium (involucre. Hook. &c) whitish, bursting along its entire length 

 by an often median suture, which in the earlier stages of the fructification is very 

 indistinct and even obsolete. Theece dark browu and shining, stipitate, globose 

 with a vertical elastic ring. 



The fresh leaves of the Hart's-tongue are applied externally in rustic practice 

 in the island to bad legs ! (erysipelatous eruptions) as a cooling remedy. 



VIII. Ptebis, Linn. Brake. 



" Sori continuous, linear, marginal. Involucres formed of the 

 reflexed margin of the frond, frequently dilated into a membrane, 

 opening internally. Veins forked in the British species." — Br. Fl. 



1. P. aquilina, L. Common Brake. " Fronds tripartite, 

 branches bipinnate, pinnules linear-lanceolate superior undivided 

 inferior pinnatifid, the segments oblong obtuse." — Br. Fl. p. 575. 

 E. B. t. 1679. 



On heaths and commons, in dry woods and bushy places; plentifully. 



Tf the stem be divided transversely near the root, the section exhibits a fancied 

 resemblance to a spread eagle, whence the trivial name. This figure is formed 

 by bundles of longitudinal vessels in the centre of the stem. 



IX. Blechnum, Linn. Hard-fern. 



" Soii linear, longitudinal, contiguous, parallel one on each side 

 of the rib. Involucre continuous, opening interiorly. Veins 

 forked."— Sr. Fl. 



1. B. boreale, Sw. Northern Hao'd-fern. " Sterile fronds pec- 

 tinato-pinnatifid, the segments lanceolate rather obtuse, fertile 

 fronds pinnate, pinnse linear acuminate." — Br. Fl. p. 575. E. B. 

 t. 1159. 



In damp n-oods and on moist shady hedgebanks, hut not common. 



E. Med.— Ill a wet thicket behind the fruit-garden at St. John's. On the 

 skirts of Lake common, near Landguard farm, plentifully. In the lane between 

 Guildford and Lynn farms, near Haven-street, sparingly. In the dell, &o., at 

 Apse castle, abundantly. In and about the Wilderness, and on the moors N. of 



