FILICES. 



1043 



and Eussian Asia, from Spain and Italy to the Arctic regions, and in 

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

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



2. Prickly Shieldfern. Aspidium aculeatum, Linn. 



(Fig. 1268.) 



(Eng. Bot. t. 1562, and A. lobatum, t. 1563. Polystichum, Bab. Man.) 



Fronds tufted, arising from a short 

 thick stock, 1 to 2 feet or rather more 

 high, stiff, twice pinnate, broadly lan- 

 ceolate 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 the Holly S. in mi- 

 niature, being pinnate, with their seg- 

 ments 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. 



On hedgebanks and in shady places, 

 in temperate and southern Europe, from 

 the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, ex- 

 tending eastward into central Asia ; in North and South America, and 

 generally in the southern hemisphere. Frequent in Britain. Fr. sum- 

 mer and autumn. The angular S. (A. annulare, Eng. Bot. Suppl. 

 t. 2776) is a rather larger, more luxuriant, and less stiff variety, usually 

 more divided, with more distinct segments, the lower ones evidently 

 stalked. 



Fig. 1268. 



3. Marsh Shieldfern. Aspidium Thelypteris, Sw. 

 (Fig. 1269.) 



(Lastrea, Bab. Man. Marsh Fern.) 



Eootstock creeping, with single, not tufted, erect fronds, as in the 

 Beech Polypody, to which this Fern bears considerable resemblance. 



2 t 2 



