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LASTREA FILIX-MAS. 
[ Filix, fern, mas, masculine.] 
Syn . — Polypodium filix-mas , Aspidium filix-mas, 
Polystichum filix-mas , Dryopteris filix-mas , Lo- 
phodium filix-mas, Filix non ramosa dentata. 
The genus Lastrea is distinguished by haying the 
indusium or coyer of the seed spots of the shape of a 
sheep’s kidney, attached to the leaf by the indented 
side. And this indented side is turned towards the 
mid-rib of the pinna. The root is large, tufted, and 
dark brown. Fronds broadly lanceolate, pinnate. 
Pinnae alternate on the stalk, regularly tapering, 
deeply cleft. Segments oblong, blunt, crenate or 
notched, and close together. Sori confined to the 
lower halves of the segments, and to the upper half 
of the frond. Coyer reniform or kidney-shaped, at 
first white and transparent, and afterwards brown. 
This is called the Male Fern merely from its robust- 
ness of make, as the Athyrium filix-femina is named 
the Lady Fern from its delicacy, and not from any 
anatomical structure such as might suggest such a 
distinction. The venation is easily studied in this 
fern. Each pinnule has an undulating mid-vein, 
which throws off alternate venules, simple or 
branched. Sometimes they are thrice-branched 
near the base, but simple near the apex. Where 
branched, the seed-spots are placed on the branch 
nearest the apex, but these seed-spots or sori, as 
remarked, are confined to the lower half or three- 
quarters of the pinnule. 
Uses. — An old belief ran to the effect that if a 
horse was ill, it would be cured if some of the root 
of this fern were put under its tongue. It was also 
thought that it had a great antipathy to the reed, 
and that the reed reciprocated this feeling — so that 
there was no love lost between them ; and that 
where one of these plants grew, the other would 
certainly not be found. The old physicians pre- 
scribed it internally in cases of intestinal worms. 
The young unexpanded fronds have been sold to 
the ignorant by designing persons, under the names 
of “Lucky Hands,” and “St. John’s Hands,” as 
