Aspidium.) 
FERNS. 
35 
we are bound to conclude that formerly, when the plant was vigorous, it took one 
character, and now that it is but struggling for existence it assumes the other. 
Indeed, luxuriant plants lately received from Low Layton, through the kindness of 
Mr. E. H. Boltou, who gathered it as lately as 1840, confirm to me the accuracy 
of Sir W. J. Hooker’s views upon the subject. Mr. W. Pamplin, of Queen street, 
Soho, an indefatigable botanist, is the re-discoverer of this plant, and kindly 
furnished me with specimens gathered in 1835. The first account we have of the 
plant as British is by Mr. Poster, in Syrnon’s ‘ Synopsis,’ published in 1793. 
II a b. — W all at Low Layton, Essex, 1836, Mr. W. Pamplin. The alpine 
stations refer to Cystopteris fragilis. [Not a true native. — Ed.] 
Geo. — Jena, Oldenburgh, and other parts of Germany, Italy, &c. 
ASPIDIUM, Swz. SHIELD-FERN. 
(Amng, a shield ; the indusium being of this form.) 
A, pinnules of Aspidium lonchitis. B, portion of ditto, showing the fruit 
magnified. C, transverse section of a sorus. D, ditto of the leaf -stalk. E , scale 
magnified. F, theca and spore. 
A ividely -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 Neplir odium 
of Brown, or Lastrcea of Borg, 8fc., or else orbicular and peltate, which is 
the true character of Aspidium of Brown, or Polystichum of Roth, (in- 
part). The greater number of the British Aspidia somewhat differ from the 
true character of the genus, as their indusia, 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. 
A. Polystichum. — Indusium circular, fixed by the middle. 
1.— ASPIDIUM LONCHITIS. 
ROUGH ALPINE SHIELD-FERN. 
(Plate II, fig. 4.) 
Cha. — Leaf pinnate. Pinnae lunate, bristly-serrate. Rachis scaly. 
S YN . — Aspidium Lonchitis, Swz., Willd., Hook., Smith, Mack., Galp., Spreng., 
Schk. — Aspidium asperum, Gray . — Polypodium Lonchitis, Linn., Bolt., 
With., Huds., Liglitf . — Polystichum Lonchitis, Roth., Decan., Hoffm., 
Neivm. 
Fig .—E. B. 797. — Bolt. 19. — Flo. Dan. 497. — Park. 1042. — Ger. 979. 
Des. — R ootstock tufted, black, fibrous. Leaves 6 to 12 inches 
high, numerous, dark green, arranged in a circle around the crown 
of the rootstock, very rigid, not growing upright, but generally half 
