24 
ASPLENIUM KUTA-MURARIA. 
SPLEEN WORT WALL RUE. 
Syn. — Scolopendrium Ruta-muraria * Phillitis R.-m . * 
Amesium R.-m., 8fc. 
This is a small evergreen* not so abundant in this 
neighbourhood as it was formerly. Indeed* it has 
now become so scarce that I hardly know how to 
assist the collector in procuring specimens. The 
destruction of many old walls* which have been 
replaced by bran new ones* has worked terrible 
havoc amongst the favorite haunts of this tiny fern. 
The plant grows in tufts* the stems commonly being 
scarcely four or five inches high* the radicles of the 
root being as long. These wiry fibres insinuate 
themselves into the crevices of the walls so deeply* 
as to be exceedingly difficult to get out without 
injury. A splendid opportunity occurred in 1859. 
When Sidmouth Parish Church was pulled down and 
some of the memorials of the dead in the churchyard 
modified* I took down a course or two of the brick” 
work of Dr BiackhalPs tomb* which was then a 
complete mine* and by thus separating the bricks 
extracted the whole mass of roots in one lump* and 
transferred these spoils to flower-pots. The speci- 
men in the plate came from there. Let me remind 
fern-gatherers* however* that we don’t pull down 
churches and tombs every day for the sake of giving 
them specimens. The stalk black near the root* but 
green upwards* occupies about half or more of the 
entire frond* the leafy portion being triangular in 
form. The pinnae are alternate* oblong : the pin- 
nules pear-shaped* heart-shaped* kite-shaped* broadly 
wedge-shaped* short* cleft at the sides* and toothed 
at the ends. A vein springs from the stalk* or point 
of attachment* and ramifies by subdivision towards 
the teeth. Two or more sori develope themselves 
near the centre of the leaf* and often appear to 
cover the under surface with fructification. 
Uses. — The genus Asjplenium has been held in 
great regard as a remedy for diseases of the spleen — 
that organ of which nobody very clearly knows the 
