1054 



THE FERN FAMILY. 



in several of the western and northern counties of England and in 

 southern Scotland, but not in Ireland. Fr. summer and autumn. 



IX. MART'S TONGUE. SCOLOPENDKIUM. 



Fronds entire or lobed, with linear diverging sori as in Spleenwort, 

 but the indusium is attached along both sides, opening in two valves by 

 a longitudinal fissure along the centre. 



The few species associated with our British one are from the tropics 

 or the Mediterranean region. 



1. Common Hart's-tongue. Scolopendrium vulgare, Sm. 



(Fig. 1285.) 



(Eng. Bot. t. 1150.) 



Fronds tufted, undivided (except in 

 monstrous forms), broadly linear or nar- 

 row-oblong, cordate at the base, with 

 rounded auricles, usually about a foot 

 long and If to 2 inches in the broadest 

 part, of a firm consistence, smooth and 

 shining on the upper surface, with a 

 brown or greenish footstalk of about 2 

 to 4 or 5 inches. Sori numerous and 

 parallel, in 2 rows, one on each side of 

 the midrib, usually of very different 

 lengths, but never reaching either to the 

 midrib or to the edge of the frond. 



On shady banks, rocks and walls, in 

 ravines, etc., in temperate and southern 

 Europe and west-central Asia, extending 

 from the Mediterranean to the Baltic. 

 Common in Britain. Fr. the iv/w/e 

 season. It varies much in size, some- 

 times not 6 inches and occasionally at- 

 taining near 2 feet, and in the fantastic 

 forms assumed by the barren fronds when monstrous, especially under 

 cultivation. No less than 58 of these forms are enumerated under 

 Latin names in Moore's Handbook. 



Fig. 1285. 



