52 
FERNS. 
[Scolopendrium . 
SCOLOPENDRIUM VULGARE. 
COMMON HART’S TONGUE. 
(Plate Y, fig. 5.) 
Cha. — F rond ligulate, acute, entire, cordate at the base. Racliis 
scaly. 
Syn.— Scolopendrium vulgare, Smith, Hook., Spreng., Mack., Gray.— 
Asplenium scolopendrium, Linn., Huds., Bolt., Woodv., JsVA.— Asple- 
nium elongatum, Salisb. — Scolopendrium officinarum, Sun., Willd., 
Pursh. 
Fig .—E. B. 1150 .—Bolt. 11 .—Flo. Lon. 67.— Ger. 1138.— Schk. Fil. 83. 
Root tufted. Fronds numerous, a foot high, strap-shaped, 
pointed, the base of them heart-shaped, smooth, except the lower 
part of the racliis and sometimes the midrib, which are very scaly. 
Sori attached to oblique transverse veins, always in twin united 
masses, each having its cover attached ; the one at the upper side, 
the other at the lower, and when young folding over each other in 
the middle. The sori are oblong, distant from each other, and 
chiefly at the upper part of the frond. 
1 his plant is very apt to become differently cleft and crisped, remaining 
so under cultivation, and bearing fruit copiously in that state; hence the 
following varieties are noticed. 
a (vulgare). Frond ligulate, flat and single pointed. 
(3 ( crispum ). Frond crisped and curled along the margins. 
■y ( multifidum ). Frond much cleft at the top. 
t ( lineare ). Frond very long and narrow. 
The above, except /3, can scarcely be considered distinct varieties, but should 
rather he accounted monstrosities, particularly y, which is produced by over 
abundance of food and warmth ; thus if the common state of the plant be trans- 
planted to rich soil in a greenhouse, it will rarely ever fail to produce fronds 
cleft more or less towards the apex. These same plants, if again thrown out and 
neglected, will return to their original state. The spores of all the varieties will 
produce the common plant. 
Sir J. E. Smith remarks, that “the whole plant has a nauseous scent when 
bruised, and is of a mucilaginous and acid taste.” It is now discarded from 
the regular practice of medicine, but frequently still sold in our herb shops, 
being used as an ointment for burns, &c., and taken internally as an astringent. 
Sit. — In damp ruins, rocks, wells, &c. 
Hab.— Scarcely a common Fern, though abundant in some, places, parti- 
cularly in the south and west of both England and Ireland, but decreasing in 
quantity northwards. Isle of Man, Mr. E. Forbes. Near Braunston, Leices- 
tershire (rare), Rev. A. Bloxam. In Wagg Lane, Congleton, Cheshire ; also at 
Buxton, Matlock, and Dove Dale, Derbyshire, Mr. H. C. Watson. Near Leeds, 
Mr. H. Denny. Near Richmond and Settle, Yorkshire, Mr. J. Tatham. Three 
varieties on Pottery Carr, near Doncaster, Mr. Appleby. Hawkstone, Salop, 
Mr. J. S. Bayly. Abundant about Twickenham, Whitton, Hounslow, Brentford, 
&e., Middlesex ; also at Barnes Common and Wimbledon Common, Surrey, G. F. 
