1048 



THE FERN FAMILY. 



Fronds twice or thrice pinnate, ivith numerous primary pinnas, 

 the lowest or several lower pairs decreasing in size. 

 Frond 2 or 3 feet high, the longer pinnas 3 to 6 inches ormore 1. Lady S. 

 Frond not a foot high, the longer pinnas seldom 1J inches. 

 Broadest part of the frond above the middle. Ultimate 



segments broad, 1 to 1J lines long 2. Hock S. 



Broadest part below the middle. Ultimate segments 



broad, 2 to 3 lines long . 3. Lanceolate S. 



Fronds once pinnate, with numerous segments, the lower pairs 

 decreasing in size. 

 Segments thick, ovate or lanceolate, \ to 1 inch long or more 4. Sea S. 

 Segments thin, ovate or orbicular, under 5 lines long. 



Stalk black 5. Common S. 



Stalk green 6. Green S. 



Fronds more or less divided, the lowest pinnas larger, on longer 

 stalks, or more divided than the others. 

 Frond 6 inches to a foot, shining green, with numerous lan- 

 ceolate pinnas and sessile segments 7. Black S. 



Frond 3 or 4 inches, with a few small, stalked segments. 



Segments obovate 8. Wallrue S. 



Segments narrow-oblong 9. Alternate S. 



Segments linear 10. Forked S. 



1. Lady Spleenwort. Asplenium 



Filix-foDmina, Bernh. 



(Fig. 1275.) 



(Aspidium, Eng. Bot. t. 1459, not good. 



Athyrium, Bab. Man. Lady Fern.) 



A most elegant Fern, with the short, 

 woody rootstock and circular tuft of 

 fronds of the male Shieldfern, but more 

 divided, the stalk less scaly, and the sori 

 different. Fronds usually 2 to 3 feet 

 high, broadly lanceolate, twice pinnate, 

 the lower pairs of pinnas decreasing in 

 size, the segments oblong-lanceolate and 

 pinnatifid, with pointed teeth. Sori 

 shortly oblong, diverging from the centre 

 of the segments, with the indusium at- 

 tached along one side as in other Spleen- 

 worts, but shorter, and the lower ones 

 of each segment often slightly kidney- 

 shaped, showing some approach to those 

 of the Shieldferns. 



In moist, sheltered woods, hedge- 



Fi£. 1275. 



