178 LASTRvEA SPINULOSA. 
LASTILE'A SPINULO'SA. 
THIS is described by some botanists under the names 
of Aspidium spinulosum, Lastraa dentata var. linearis, 
L. spinosa, Lophodium sp'mosum, Polypodium cristatum, 
P. filix-fcemina var. spinosa, P. dentatum, P. spinosum, 
and P. spinulosum, and Polystichum spinosum. In 
English it is called the Narrow Prickly-toothed Fern, 
Prickly Shield Fern, Lesser Crested Polypody, and 
Prickly-toothed Shield Fern. 
This species has been confounded with a variety of 
Lastraa dilatata by Sir J. E. Smith and others. 
Root rather creeping, and although spreading slowly, 
yet in old plants it reaches to a distance, and sends up 
numerous tufts of fronds. Fronds a delicate light green, 
varying from one to three feet high, very slightly lean- 
ing, having a long triangular general outline, and 
perfectly flat. The stem whitish, with a few black dots, 
through half its length without leaflets, and this un- 
leafleted part is beset with thin, semi-transparent, pale 
brown, oval scales, slightly pointed. Leaflets not 
crowded ; leafits numerously and deeply cut, spear-head 
shaped, all deeply toothed, each tooth ending in a sharp 
hooked point, and a branch of a lateral vein passing 
into each tooth. The lower leafits on each leaflet are 
often larger than their corresponding upper leafits. 
Fructification on the first inner branch of each lateral 
vein, forming a row of circular masses ou each side the 
mid-vein. The masses are small ; the cover of each 
