486 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



while at Kashmir, Simla, Java, &c, it is considered as one of the commonest 

 of Indian Ferns. 



A. Adiantum-nigrum is one of the British Ferns which first attracted the 

 attention of our botanists, for Ray, in the first volume of his " Historia 

 Plantarum, " published in the latter half of the seventeenth century, gives 



an accurate description of the plant, 

 at the same time stating that "it is 

 found in shadowy places at the 

 roots of trees and shrubs, in shaded 

 fields, and on old walls generally." 

 In those days this Fern was believed 

 to be medicinally valuable in coughs, 

 asthma, and some other diseases, but 

 it is no longer employed even by 

 herbalists. 



The fronds of A. Adiantum-nigrum, 

 6in. to 12in. long and 4in. to 6in. 

 broad, are borne on chestnut- brown, 

 nearly black, polished stipes (stalks) 

 usually 6in. to 9in. long, but some- 

 times longer than the leafy portion 

 of the fronds ; they usually taper 

 to a long, narrow point, and are of 

 a deep shining green colour above 

 and paler beneath. These fronds 

 are furnished on each side with 

 numerous pinnee (leaflets) 2in. to 

 3in. long and ljin. to 2in. broad, 

 cut down to a compressed, winged 

 rachis (stalk) into numerous pinnules 

 (leafits) which frequently are in 

 their turn cut down into oblong segments sharply toothed round the outer 

 edge, so that according to their state of development or to their size the 

 fronds may be said to be bipinnate, tripinnate, or even subquadripinnate 

 (twice, thrice, or almost four times divided to the midrib). The copious 



Fig. 76, Asplenium Adiantum-nigrum, showing Rootstock 

 and back of Fertile Frond 



(J nat. size). 



