GENUS VII. 
L ASTREA, Presl. 
BUCKLER FERN. 
GEN. CHAR. Son' nearly circular, indusiate, attached 
at the back of the lateral veins. Indusium irregularly re- 
niform, attached by the sinus. Veins free; midvein 
distinct ; venules simple or branched. 
The name Lastrea was originally applied by Bory de 
St. Vincent to a group of Pulypodium, including Oreop- 
teris, Thelypteris, Phegopteris, Dryopteris, and Rober- 
tianum, and was intended to mark a sectional division. 
The name was subsequently adopted by Presl, for one of 
his new genera which included the majority of Bory's spe- 
cies. Presl's genus embraces the greater part of the British 
species which were referred to Aspidium as defined by 
Swartz. The common male fern {Lastrea Filix-mai) may 
be regarded as the type. I have here adopted as an 
English name for the genus, that of Buckler Fern, being 
an equivalent for Shield Fern, which was borne by the old 
genus Aspidium of which Lastrea forms a considerable 
part; that name being more properly restricted to the 
group now called Polystichum. 
The systematic name of the genus was applied in ho- 
nour of M. Delastre, of Chatelleraut, a zealous botanist, 
and an excellent microscopical observer. 
