Aspidium.] 
FERNS. 
31 
Sit. — On heaths and in shady lanes, not uncommon in the North. 
IIab. — -Eng. : Bradwell, Forf., Mr. Turner. Colesliill Heath and Corley, 
Warw., Rev. W. Bree. Sussex and Kent, Rev. G. E. Smith. Somerset, Mr. 
A. Southby. Near Richmond, Yorks., Mr. J. Ward. Keswick, and near 
Lodore Waterfall, Cumberl., Mr. H. C. Watson. Near Chapel Weardale, 
Durham, and Cawsey Dean, near Newcastle, Mr. R.B. Bowman. Dallington 
Heath, near Northampton, Mr. Anderson. Dethick Moor, and near Riley, 
Derbys., Dr. Howitt. N. side of Shotover Hill, Oxfordsh., Mr. Baxter. Isle 
of Man, Mr, Forbes. Bailey’s Hill, between Brasted and Tunbridge (1835), 
Mr. Pamplin. Coxton and Eddingley Bogs, Notts., and Hartswell, near 
Famsfield, Mr. H. C. Cooper. Near Warrington, Mr. W. Wilson . — Wal. : 
Near Wrexham, Denbighshire, Mr. J. E. Bowman. Llanberris and Nant 
Gwynedd, Caernarvonsli., Mr. C. C. Babington. Frequent in Caernarvonsh., 
Mr. W. Wilson. — Sco. : By the Tees, Mr. J. Hogg. Moray, Rev. G. Gordon. 
Glen Isla, Forfarsh., Mr. W. Brand. Common in Sutherland, Dr. Johnston. 
Banks of Loch Tay, Mr. T. H. Cooper. Aberdeenshire, but not common, 
Dr. Murray. Foot of Craig Clialleach, &c. Mr. W. Wilson . — Ire.: Powers- 
court Deer Park and Waterfall, Mangerton Mountain, Dr. Osborne. Lough 
Corril, Galway, Mr, Shuttleworth. Plentiful in Ireland, Mr. Mac/cay. 
Geo. — Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Prussia, &c. 
6.— ASPIDIUM FILIX-MAS. 
MALE FERN. 
(Plate 2, fig. 8.) 
Cha. — Frond pinnate, broadly lanceolate. Pinnae alternate, 
deeply pinnatifid. Segments obtuse, crenate. Rachis scaly. 
Syn. — Aspidium Filix-Mas, Swz., Willd., Smith, Hook., Gulp., Mack . — 
Polypodium Filix-Mas, Linn., Huds., Bolt.,Woodv., Dicks., Ehrh., Ger., 
With., Light /. — Polystichum Filix-Mas, Roth, Decan . — Polystichum 
Callipteris, Bernh. 
Fig .—E. B. 1458 .—Bolt. 24 .— Woodv. 49 .—Flo. Lon. 40 .—Ger. Her. 1128. 
Des. — Root large, tufted, black, and scaly. Fronds growing 
centrally from a crown, broadly lanceolate, pinnate. Pinnae lanceo- 
late, pointed, alternate, smooth, except on the under side of the 
midrib, of a bright green, regularly tapering, curved upwards, and 
very deeply cleft. Segments oblong, obtuse, slightly crenate at the 
sides, copiously at the end, very close together, but not overlapping 
each other. Sori confined to the upper half of the frond, and to the 
lower half of each segment of the pinnae, round, large, and very 
prominent. Cover large, orbicular, with a notch on one side, at 
first white and transparent, afterwards opaque, and of a fine reddish 
brown, covering the thecae even till they are fully ripe. 
The large size, robust appearance, and decided character of this plant, ob- 
tained for it very early and very aptly the name of Male Fern. 
Vir. — M edicinal properties of some importance have been ascribed to it, 
and with justice. It i3 retained in most of the Pharmacopoeias of Europe as 
a specific for the larger kinds of intestinal worms, and used very extensively 
for that purpose by the faculty on many parts of the Continent, and if the em- 
ployment of it has been discontinued here, it is not because of its inutility, 
