Orammitis.] XCIV. FILICES. 561 



On moist shady banks, in the Mediterranean region and western 

 Europe, extending eastward into central India, and northward up 

 western France to Jersey, the only station within our Flora. It re- 

 appears in the southern hemisphere. Fr. spring and summer. 



VII. ASPIDIUM. SHIELDFERN. 



Fronds (in the British species) once, twice, or thrice pinnate, with a 

 stiff erect stalk, usually bearing, at least at the base, numerous brown 

 scarious scales. Sori circular as in Polypodium, but covered when young 

 by a membrane or indusium, attached by the centre or by a point near 

 one side, so that, when raised all round by the growth of the spore- 

 cases, it becomes either peltate or kidney-shaped. 



A very large genus, ranging over every part of the globe, only distin- 

 guished from Polypodium by the indusium. In modern British Fern- 

 books it is usually divided into two, Lastrea and Polystichum, according 

 to whether the attachment of the indusium is central or towards the 

 margin, a minute character, unconnected with habit, often difficult to 

 appreciate, and sometimes inconstant. The Table of Species will be 

 found under the Generic Table above, p. 556, n. 13. 



1. A. Lonchitis, Sw. (fig. 1287). Holly Fern, — Stock short aod thick. 

 Fronds tufted, usually 6 inches to a foot high or rather more, stiff, linear- 

 lanceolate in their general outline, simply pinnate, leafy from the base, 

 the common stalk very scaly below. Segments mostly broadly lanceolate 

 or almost ovate, curved, prickly-toothed, enlarged at the base on the 

 inner or upper side into a toothed angle or lobe, all nearly sessile, but 

 attached by the midrib only, stiff, glabrous above, with a few scaly hairs 

 underneath ; the central ones about an inch long ; the lower ones smaller 

 and broader, often ovate. Sori circular, rather large, with a not very 

 conspicuous peltate indusium in the centre. Polystichum Lonchitis, Roth. 



In the clefts of rocks, in all the great mountain regions of Europe and 

 central and Russian Asia, from Spain and Italy to the Arctic regions, 

 and in North America. In Britain, only in the mountains of Scotland, 

 northern England, North Wales, and Ireland. Fr. summer and autumn. 



2. A. aculeatum, Sw. (fig. 1288). Prickly S. — Fronds tufted, arising 

 from a short thick stock, 1 to 2 feet or rather more high, stiff, twice 

 pinnate, broadly lanceolate in outline, with the lower pinnas decreasing 

 in length ; the stalk below the leafy part 1 to 6 inches long, very shaggy 

 with brown, scarious scales. Primary branches or pinnas shaped like 

 the whole frond of A . Lonchitis in miniature, being pinnate, with their 

 segments shortly ovate-lanceolate, curved and prickly- toothed, with a 

 prominent angle or lobe on the inner or upper side ; the lower ones, or 

 sometimes nearly all, attached by their midrib, the upper ones decurrent 

 on the stalk or united at the base. Sori rather small, with a central but 

 not very conspicuous indusium. A. lobatum, Sm. Polystichum aculeatum, 

 Roth. 



On hedge-banks and in shady places, in temperate and southern 

 Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, extending eastward 

 into central Asia ; in North and South America, and generally in the 

 southern hemisphere. Frequent in Britain. Fr. summer and autumn. 

 A. angular e, Willd., is a rather larger, more luxuriant, and less stiff 



2 N 



