652 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



A. (Euasplenium) Trichomanes — Eu-as-ple'-m-um ; Trich-om'-an-es 

 (Maidenhair Spleenwort), Linnceus. 

 This pretty, dwarf species is of all known Ferns the one which perhaps 

 possesses the most cosmopolitan character, for its geographical distribution 

 is so great that, besides being found throughout Europe, it is, according 

 to Beddome, very common in most parts of India, especially at Kallutty, on 

 the ISTeilgherries, where it grows in abundance at elevations of 5000ft. or 

 6000ft. On the other hand, Eaton, in his excellent work on " Ferns of North 

 America," says that it is common in North America from Canada to British 

 Columbia, and throughout the United States to Alabama, Texas, Colorado, 

 California, and Oregon, where it grows in crevices of shady rocks and also 

 sometimes on old walls. It is found wild in nearly every part of England, 

 being rarest in the Eastern Counties and most abundant in the Western ones, 

 where it is so generally distributed that it is needless to enumerate the localities. 

 It is usually found from the sea-level up to 2000ft., and its favourite habitats 

 are ruins, rocks, and old walls, though it is frequently met with on 

 hedge-banks. The shady side of an old wall is undoubtedly the situation 

 the Maidenhair Spleenwort prefers, and that in which it is most commonly 

 found ; but once, in the eastern part of France, we came across a very long 

 and very high wall facing due south that was literally covered and completely 

 hidden by this pretty species, which formed a perfectly dense and most lovely 

 green carpet. Yet, although many hours were spent in close examination of 

 these plants, we were unable to discover among them any deviation from the 

 type. All the specimens were alike in appearance and in growth, which was 

 unusually long for plants exposed to the full action of the sun. This, no 

 doubt, was attributable to the fact that the wall on which the Ferns grew 

 measured over oft. in thickness and was a remnant of fortifications, with 

 abundance of soil at the back, so that a great quantity of moisture was 

 always present. 



The Maidenhair Spleenwort was known as one of our native plants to 

 the earliest of our herbalists, for in the " Seconde Parte of William Turner's 

 Herball," published in 1568, he calls it "English Mayden's Heare," and the 

 woodcut leaves no doubt that the plant referred to was our A. Trichomanes. 

 Gerarde is the first English, writer who mentions any place in England where 

 it was native. He says : " I found it growing in a shadowy, sandy lane in 



