262 
ASPLENIACE.E. 
wilds, and to have taken up their residence amongst the habita- 
tions of men. It is abundant on ruins and old churches, and has 
a strong predilection for brick walls, although Sir J. E. Smith 
makes Ray assert “ that it dies whenever it gets upon burnt 
bricks.”^' The original passage is Lateribus cociis immoritur 
Dillenius either used the verb immorior as Horace does in 
immoriiur studiis — “he is always at his books,” or he may 
have written immoratur — “it lives on brick walls,” thus point- 
ing out its favourite locality : so carefully observant a man 
as Dillenius must have frequently seen it flourishing in the 
crumbling mortar, filling the interstices of brick buildings : we 
need wander no further from London than the wall of Green- 
wich park, to see it flourishing abundantly on bricks. 
Throughout the northern, western, and southern counties of 
England, and also in Wales, Scotland and Ireland, this fern 
is to be found on almost every ruin, but, as regards England, 
far less abundantly in the eastern than in the western counties. 
In a perfectly wild state, it grows abundantly on the rocky hills 
in Scotland, particularly on Arthur’s seat, near Edinburgh ; in 
the Peak district of Derbyshire ; on Cader Idris, and Snowdon 
more sparingly. 
It is generally distributed over the continent of Europe, pre- 
ferring towns and buildings to the open country : I am indebted 
to Mr. Lea for specimens from the United States. 
Of our figures of this fern I cannot speak in high praise. Con- 
cerning its nomenclature no difference of opinion appears to 
have arisen. 
Lightfoot informs us that this plant was formerly sold as a 
pectoral, and recommended in coughs, asthmas, obstructions of 
the liver and spleen, and in scorbutic complaints.^ 
The roots of Asplenium Ruta-muraria are wiry and black ; 
the rhizoma is black, tufted, and clothed with bristly scales : the 
fronds make their appearance in May and June, arrive at matu- 
rity in September, and continue perfectly green throughout the 
winter, and until the ensuing May ; they are always fertile. 
The stem is black or dark purple, very smooth and shining. 
* Eng’. Flor. \v. 297. f Dillen. in Syn. 122. | Lightfoot, Flor. Scot. ii. 666. 
