302 
ASPLENIACE^. 
early stage of the plant, before the frond is perfectly unfolded, I 
have found this involucre somewhat incumbent on the capsules, 
but it very soon assumes its erect position, and as the cap- 
sules advance towards maturity, its character is lost, and it is 
only to be recognized by those who have made themselves tho- 
roughly acquainted with it in its earlier stages. Beneath the 
capsules is a very inconspicuous ridge, and this also accompa- 
nies each line of capsules throughout its whole course. This 
ridge is so minute, so nearly imperceptible, that I merely notice 
its existence because one author appears to have regarded it 
as a second involucre. Sir J. E. Smith says, — “ Covers one at 
each side of each mass, as in the preceding species [^Scolopen- 
drium vulgare], erect, membranous, continuous, undulated, en- 
tire, quite distinct from the pointed separate scales. I cannot 
ascertain whether the lines of capsules are originally double, as 
in Scolopendrium vulgare^ but the covers are evidently such as 
leave no doubt of the genus, answering exactly to Tournefort’s 
figure, which Swartz and Willdenow surely did not examine. 
The latter indeed has well removed this fern from Grammitis, to 
which indeed it has no natural affinity.”*^ T may observe that 
the doubt here expressed as to the lines of capsules being origi- 
nally double, or in other words, seated on two parallel and ap- 
proximate veins, admits of a ready solution. A reference to the 
figure in the margin will at once show that this is not the case. 
Again I cannot allow the reference to Tournefort’s figuref to 
pass unnoticed, for on turning to that it will be obvious to every 
one that the learned author has not figured the part now described 
as an involucre ; indeed the figure in question does not represent 
the frond denuded of its scales, and consequently the real invo- 
lucre is totally concealed. I am therefore quite inclined to be- 
lieve Smith has fallen into an error, in supposing he had seen 
any involucre connected with the fructification of Ceterach. 
Roth’s description, which I have quoted below, nearly resembles 
Smith’s, and speaks of a double involucre : % it bears many 
* Eng. Flor. iv. 303. f Inst. PI. 318. 
f Fructificationum maculae oblongae, duae, tres vel qiiatuor in aversa seg- 
mentorum pagina, interveniae, apice nervum segmenti respicientes, ob squamu- 
