14 
LASTREA DILATATA. 
[ Lastrea dilated, spread out, broad. ] 
Syn. — Aspidium cristatum, [tufted, plumed,] Lastrea 
multiflora , [many-flower,] Lophodium multiflorum , 
[ many-flo wer, ] Polystichum multiflorum , Poly po- 
dium dilatatum , Aspidium dilatatum , and Driopteris 
dilatata . 
The frond of this fern is tripinnate, or thrice-cut, * 
and not bipinnate, or twice-cut, as most of our ferns 
are. It is triangular, sometimes broad, drooping, 
dark green, and commonly about two feet high* 
Root tufted, black* Stem thick at the base, clothed 
with scales, thinner above, with a few scattered 
scales. The pinnae opposite or nearly, pinnate, 
except the lower pair, which are doubly pinnate, 
toothed, and spinulose. The pinnules on each side 
of the lower pinnae are unequal, the lower pinnules 
B. B. being much larger and more compound than 
the upper ones A. A. The sori abundant, the scales 
soon shrivelling up and disappearing from them. 
In disposition or arrangement they appear to range 
across the largest lobes, but lengthwise, on each v 
side of the mid-vein on those which are less in- 
dented. The texture of the whole is fine and thin, 
and the edges of the pinnules curl over downwards. 
This fern soon withers after it is gathered. When 
specimens are intended for the Herbarium they 
should be put in the press as soon as possible. 
Amateur fern collectors are sometimes put to con- 
siderable shifts for presses, especially if the plants 
they may have gathered should happen to be of 
large size. In the domestic establishment, and 
amongst the ordinary furniture of a house, people v 
must convert to their use whatever may best suit J 
the purpose. The fronds should be placed between 
folds of blotting-paper, which paper should be 
changed and dried every day. A week ought to 
be enough to dry the ordinary kinds. If there is 
not a sufficient thickness of paper, the pinnules will 
have a cockled appearance, instead of being flat. 
As for a press, the paper and ferns may be laid on a 
level table, on which place a good stiff tray, and 
this can be weighted with books to any required 
