FERNS. 
53 
Blechnum . ] 
Arniston Woods, Edinburgh, Mr. W. Brand. Cawdor Woods, Mr. W. Stables. 
Moray, Rev. G. Gordon. Sutherland, Aberdeenshire, and Kincardineshire, but 
by no means common, Dr. Murray. Orkney, Dr. Gillies. Near Wrexham, 
Denb., Mr. J. E. Bowman. Castell Aber, Lleiniog, Anglesea, Mr. W. Leighton. 
y: Caernarvon Castle, Mr. J. F. M. Dovaston. Carreg Onan, Anglesea, 
Mr. W. Leighton. 
Geo. — Not found in the northern countries of Europe. In Germany as far 
north as Grimmia. Very rare in North America, being, according to Pursh, 
found only in one place, viz. New York. 
BLECHNUM, Linn. HARD FERN. 
(From jSxwov, a Greek name for a Fern.) 
A, portion of a fertile frond of Blechnum boreale. B, pinnule magnified , 
showing the covers or indusiums. C, transverse section of sorus, pinnule, and 
indusia. D, theca and spores. E, transverse section of rachis. 
A genus of thirty -one species, knoivn by bearing its fruit in closely united 
masses, not on transverse veins, as in Scolopendrium, but one on each side, and 
close to the midrib of the pinnule. Covers attached on the outer side of each 
mass, opening on the inner side, but not folding over each other, as in the last 
genus. 
BLECHNUM BOREALE. 
HARD FERN. ROUGH SPLEENWORT. 
(Plate 5, fig. 6.) 
Cha. — F rond pinnate, erect. Pinnae linear, entire. Rachis smooth. 
Syn. — Blechnum boreale, Swz. , Willd., Spreng., Smith, Hook., Mack., Galp., 
Gray . — Blechnum spicant, Roth., With . — Osmunda spicant, Linn., Bolt., 
Hedw., Ehrh., Lightf . — Osmunda borealis, Salisb . — Lonchitis aspera, 
Ray, Ger . — Acrostichum nemorale, Lam. FI. Fr . — Acrostichum spicant, 
Sibth., Vill . — Asplenium spicant, Bernh . — Onoclea spicant, Hoffm . — 
Lomaria spicant, Desv., Newm., Presl. 
Fig .—E. B. 1159.— Botf. G.—Flo. Dan. 99.— Ger. 1140. — Schk. fil. 110. 
Des. — Root black, tufted, scaly, with stout fibres. Rachis smooth 
and polished. Fertile fronds numerous, erect, strap-shaped, tapering 
at each end, about a foot high. Pinna: linear, dilated somewhat at 
the base, in some degree falcate, distant from each other, and 
alternate, wholly covered on the under side with fruit. Barren 
fronds lanceolate, shorter than those which are fertile, and growing 
more on the outside of the plant, their pinn?e oblong, curved up- 
ward, and placed close together at their bases, hut scarcely dilated 
at that part. Sori continued in an uninterrupted line from the base 
