ASPIDIUM. 



419 



it is to this day frequently met with near Halifax, and in the neighbourhood 

 of Richmond, in Yorkshire ; in Leigh, St. Anne's, and Stapleton Woods, 

 near Bristol ; in the Isle of Man ; near Bromsgrove, in Worcestershire ; in 

 Warwickshire ; in Shapscombe Wood, near Painswick, in Gloucestershire ; 

 in Burton Wood, near Warrington, in Lancashire ; in Charmwood Forest ; 

 at Kingsteignton, in Devon, and in many other places in England. It is 

 also found in quantities in Wales, near Bangor and Carnarvon ; at Cicle, 

 near Beaumaris, and at Lleiniog Castle, Anglesey ; and near Wrexham, in 

 Denbighshire. In Ireland the common Prickly Shield Fern is found near 

 Clonmel, at Colin Glen, Belfast, and at 

 Hedge Bank, near Carrickfergus ; while 

 in Scotland, where it is still abundant, 

 one meets with it about Drumlanrig, in 

 Nithsdale, at Peasebridge, and on Cart- 

 land Rocks, near Lanark. 



A. aculeatum is a particularly strong, 

 bold-growing Fern (Fig. 58), with 

 numerous ovate-lanceolate (egg-spear- 

 shaped) fronds, attaining a height of 

 2£ft. to 3ft., including the stipes 

 (stalks), which vary from 6in. to lOin. 

 in length. They are Sin. to lOin. 

 broad at their widest part, produced 

 from a stout, tufted caudex (stem), and 

 disposed in such a way as to give 

 the plant the appearance of a gigantic 

 shuttlecock. The fronds, of a coriaceous 



(leathery) texture, are of a shining dark green colour on their upper side, 

 while their under-side is of a paler tint ; the stalks, as well as the crown 

 of the plant, are densely covered with large, blackish-brown scales. The 

 inferior pinna? (lower leaflets), 4in. to Gin. long and Jin. to fin. broad, 

 are closely set, and their unequal-sided pinnules (leafits) are auricled (eared) 

 on the upper side at the base. The rachis (stalk of the leafy portion) is 

 straw-coloured, and more or less covered with scales similar in colour to 

 those clothing the crown and stalks. The fructification of this truly 



Fig. 58. Aspidium aculeatum 

 (much reduced). 



