Aspidium.] 
FERNS. 
25 
ASPIDIUM, Swz. SHIELD FERN. 
( data a shield, the indusium being of this form.) 
PLATE OF GENERA, FIG. III. 
A widely-distributed and extensive genus, of not less than from 160 to 170 
species, all of them herbaceous, some evergreen, others deciduous. The indusium 
is either reniform and fixed at the sinus, when they belong to the genus Nephro- 
dium of Brown, or else orbicular and peltate, which is the true character of 
Aspidium. The greater number of the British Aspidia somewhat differ from the 
true character of the genus, as their indusiums, though orbicular, have a deep 
lateral notch, which occasions them to appear somewhat reniform,. and hence also 
they in some degree cease to be peltate ; but the variation is not so great as to 
render it advisable to separate them into two genera. 
1.— ASPIDIUM LONCHITIS. 
ROUGH ALPINE SHIELD-FERN. 
(Plate 2, fig. 1.) 
Cha. — Frond pinnate. Pinnae lunate, bristly-serrate. Rachis scaly. 
Syn. — Aspidium Lonchitis, Swz., Willd., Hook., Smith, Mack., Galp., 
Spreng., Schk . — Aspidium Asperum, Gray . — Polypodium Lonchitis, 
Linn., Bolt., With., Huds., Lightf . — Polysticlium Lonchitis, Roth, 
Decan., Hoffm. 
Fig .—E. B. 797 .—Bolt. 19 .—Flo. Dan. 497.— Park. 1042.— Ger. 979. 
Des. — Root tufted, black, fibrous. Fronds six to twelve inches 
high, numerous, dark green, arranged in a circle around the crown 
of the root, very rigid, not growing upright, but generally half 
decumbent, forming a flat, cup-shaped plant. Rachis scaly, clothed 
with pinnae nearly to its base. The pinnae are numerous, crowded, 
stalked, alternate, smooth above, slightly scaly beneath, crescent- 
shaped, with an auricle on the upper side at the base of each, 
serrated, with the serratures ending in a bristle, that part of the 
pinna above its midrib much larger than the lower portion, in posi- 
tion rather declining and bent forwards, so that they very often 
approach those on the opposite side of the rachis, the back of the 
frond being outwards. Sori confined to the upper third of the 
frond, arranged in single rows, black or brown, and very large. 
Cover orbicular, notched, attached at the centre, and soon becoming 
shrivelled. 
Sir J. E. Smith says, that “ this plant dwindles rather than becomes 
luxuriant when cultivated,” as it often is on rock-work, &c. forming a curious, 
rigid, and pretty plant, not in any way altered from its original characteristics, 
except becoming less spinous. The American is more spinous than our plant. 
Hab. — In situations about 1000 yards, probably 1100 yards above sea level, 
on the Breadalbane mountains, Perthshire, and plentiful almost every where in 
c 
