564 THE FERN FAMILY. [ Asplentwm. 
dark-brown or black stalk, the leafy part triangular or broadly lanceo- — 
late, of a dark shining green, and firm consistence, twice pinnate, or the 
lower part three times; the pinnas gradually decreasing and less divided, 
from the lowest pair to the point; the segments varying from lanceolate 
to ovate or even obovate, sharply toothed or cut. Sori narrow-oblong or 
linear, sometimes, when old, covering nearly the whole surface. 
On sandy hedge-banks, rocks, and old walls, in central and southern 
Europe and western and central Asia, extending northwards to southern 
Scandinavia. Common in Britain. Fr. all summer and autumn. 
8. 4. Ruta-muraria, Linn. (fiz.1297). Wallrue Spleenwort, Wall- 
Rue.—Fronds densely tufted, usually 2 to 3 inches long, rather dark-green, 
but not shining; the stalk more or less pinnately divided; the lower 
pinnas usually bearing 3 segments, the upper ones simple; the segments 
all stalked, obovate or broadly oblong, seldom above 2 lines long, and 
usually minutely toothed. Sori shortly linear, becoming united into broad 
patches when old. 
On old walls, and rocks, throughout Europe ‘and central and Russian 
Asia, except the extreme north, and in North America. Common in 
Britain, except in some of the eastern districts. Fr. the whole season. 
9, A.germanicum, Weiss. (fig. 1298). Alternate Spleenwort.— 
Very near A. Ruta-muraria, ana perhaps a mere variety; but the seg- 
ments are much narrower, usually narrow wedge-shaped or oblong, on 
short stalks; the whole frond narrow, usually simply pinnate, with the 
lower seoments 3-lobed, or very rarely bearing 3 distinct sezments; the 
segments entire or toothed at the summit. Sori few, long and narrow. 
On rocks and old walls, dispersed over the greater part of Europe, from 
Spain to Scandinavia, and in the Himalaya and China. Has been found in 
isolated localities in western and northern England, and central and 
southern Scotiand. £7. summer and autumn. 
10. A. septentrionale, Hoffm. (fig. 1299). Forked Spleenwort.— 
This again is allied to A. Ruta-muraria, and has similar tufted fronds, 2 to 
5 or 6 inches high ; but the whole frond usually consists of a stalk, forked 
towards the top, each branch bearing a single, linear, entire or 2- lobed seg- 
ment, about half an inch long, the linear sori occupying the whole under 
surface except the narrow pointed extremity. Some fronds have but a 
single entire or 3-lobed terminal segment, and a few have 3 distinct 
seoments. 
On rocks and old walls, in the mountainous districts of the greater part 
of Europe and central and Russian Asia, from Spain to Scandinavia, and 
in the mountains of North America. In Britain, in several of the western 
and northern counties of England and in Scotland, but not in Ireland. 
Fr. summer and autumn, 
IX. SCOLOPENDRIUM. HART’S-TONGUE, 
Fronds entire or lobed, with linear diverging sori as in Asplenium, but 
the indusium is attached along both sides, opening in two valves by a longi- 
tudinal fissure along the centre. 
The few species associated with our British one are from the sropics or 
the Mediterranean region. 
