Aspidium.] FILICES. 369 
This is one of the rarest ferns in Ireland where it is quite 
confined to the western counties. In addition to Kerry, 
it occurs in West Galway, Sligo, Leitrim and West Donegal. 
It appears to be more plentiful on Brandon than elsewhere 
in the county. 
A. aculeatum Swartz. Polystichum aculeatum Roth. 
Prickly Shield Fern. 
Districts IT. I. — IV. V. VI. VIL ~— — 
Native. On mountain cliffs, on banks and in shady places. 
Rather rare and local. Peren. July—October. 
I. Sparingly on shady banks, &c., about Kenmare, Kil- 
towen and Ardtully in the Roughty valley, 1907.—II. Spar- 
ingly near Parknasilla and on the east side of the Ballagh- 
beama Pass, 1906-13: R.W.S.—IV. At 900 feet in Cum- 
meenacappul and at 2,470 feet in the Black Valley, but 
scarce on the Reeks : Hart 1882.—V. On Brandon cliffs to 
2,000 feet, 1913 : Praeger.—VI. Rather frequent on cliffs in 
the Horse’s Glen, Mangerton, and more sparingly on the 
north and east sides of the Paps Mountain ; sparingly on 
Ross Island near the Cottage, 1903-10: R.W.S.—VII. About 
Kiltallagh Church near Castlemaine : Lady Godfrey, and in 
1890: &.W.S. Sparingly on walls at Seafield, Tralee Bay, 
1905: R.W.S. 
From sea-level in the Roughty valley, &c. (R.W.S.), to 
2,470 feet on the Reeks (Hart). 
First record in 1882: Hart, Proc. R.I.A. 
This fern occurs in Kerry usually as the form or var. 
LOBATUM Swartz—with the pinne but little divided. Both 
the type, the var. LoBATUM and intermediate states have 
been gathered by the writer growing quite near each other 
in the Horse’s Glen, Mangerton ; but, speaking generally, 
this fern in any form is not a common plant in Kerry and 
appears to be quite absent from large tracts of the county. 
A. angulare Kit. Polystichum angulare Presl. 
Districts I. II. — IV. V. VI. VII. VII. IX. 
Native. Banks, woods and other shady places. Rather 
common over the greater portion of the county, but quite 
rare over wide areas. Peren. July—October. 
Rare in the following Districts—IV. On the east side of 
Caragh Lake, 1896.—V. Near Camp, Tralee Bay, 1892: 
R.W.S. 
First record in 1844: 8. P. Woodward, Phytol., p. 878. 
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