SPLEENWOETS. 



79 



The leaflets are of a roundish or egg-shaped form, gene- 

 rally slightly notched at the margin. At the upper end of 

 the frond the size of the leaflets is diminished. Two or 

 three elongated tufts of spore-cases are developed on each 

 side of the mid-rib of the leaflets. These often become 

 confused together as they approach maturity, and almost 

 cover the under side of the leaflets. The leaflets often 

 fall away from the leaf-stalk as they grow old, and leave 

 the old stalks like rigid black pieces of horse-hair still 

 adhering to the root-stock. It is sometimes known as the 

 "Maidenhair Spleenwort." 



This is not an uncommon species, being widely distri- 

 buted over the British Isles, but amongst rocks, old stone 

 walls, and ruins it is most abundant. The walls of loose 

 stones piled on each other, which skirt the roads in North 

 Wales, are often green for miles with tufts of this fern. 



The varieties of this fern are fewer than in many of the 

 common and largely cultivated species, not exceeding nine 

 or ten characterized forms. 



Perhaps the most delicate of varieties is that named 

 incisum, from the deeply cut leaflets, each of which is like 

 a fan of spreading, long, narrow lobes. 



The branched variety (ramosum') is also attractive, as 

 the upper third of the length of the fronds is branched 

 and divided, and again subdivided, so as to present a 

 rather complicated appearance. 



The variety cristatum, as its name implies, has the upper 

 portion of the fronds crested, or shortly divided and sub- 

 divided, so as to present a crisped and crested appearance. 



The variety dejpawperatum may be curious, but is not 

 very attractive, with its thin starved-looking fronds, which 

 seem to challenge pity for their miserable and almost 

 skeletonized condition. 



All the forms thrive well either in the open air or in 

 pots, but not so kindly in the Wardian case. In all in- 

 stances the crown must be elevated a little, so that water 

 does not rest upon it. If planted in a case, this must not 

 be too close. 



Lightfoot says that this fern was formerly used as an 



