458 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



2in. to 3in. long and Jin. broad, are sickle -shaped, with their two sides 

 unequal, the upper side being conspicuously auricled (eared) at the base. 

 The sori (spore masses) are disposed in two rows at a short space from the 

 midrib. The most remarkable peculiarity of this Fern is that the upper 

 part of its fronds is totally unprovided with leaflets, and terminates in a long- 

 tailed process, producing at the extreme end a solitary bulbil, which later on 

 develops into a perfect plant. It is particularly well adapted for growing in 

 a basket or on a bracket, or for suspension of any kind, in which position 

 it thrives well and shows itself off to great advantage. — Hooker, Species 

 Filicum, iv., p. 12, t. 217. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, i., p. 126. 



A. lineare — li-ne-a'-re (narrow). A variety of A. angulare. 



A. (Polystichum) Lonchitis— Pol-ys'-tich-um ; Lonch-i'-tis (spear-like), 

 Swartz. 



This very handsome species, generally known under the popular name of 

 " Holly Fern," but which sometimes is also called the " Alpine Shield Fern," 

 is of very cosmopolitan character. Though usually accepted as a plant of true 

 British origin, it is so extensively distributed as to be considered native of 

 almost all parts of the globe. In Europe it also occurs in Iceland, Lapland, 

 Sweden, Denmark, Eussia, Germany, Hungary, France, Switzerland, Italy, 

 and Spain. In India it is abundant on the Himalayas. In North America, 

 where it is also known under the name of Holly Fern, A. Lonchitis, according 

 to Eaton, is found in rocky places from the vicinity of Georgian Bay, Lake 

 Huron, Canada, to the southern shore of Lake Superior, and westward to 

 the Cascade Mountains of British Columbia. 



Considered as a native species, the Holly Fern is found in mountainous 

 districts in the north of the British Islands, where its favourite haunts are 

 the clefts of rocks near the mountain-tops. It was not known as a British 

 plant when, in 1670, Ray published his " Catalogus Plantarum Anglian," nor 

 even when his " Historia Plantarum" issued from the press in 1686 ; but we 

 find it mentioned in the second edition of his " Synopsis Stirpium Britanni- 

 carum" as having been discovered by Mr. Lloyd. As we have before stated, 

 he adopted the name of Lonchitis aspera major (larger, rough Spleenwort, 

 with indented leaves), and says that "it issues from clefts in the rocks on 

 the tops of the mountains of Wales, as at Clogwyn-y-Garnedh-y-Grib-Goch- 



