228 
THE FERN WORLD 
been accomplished, whilst by about the end of July the plant 
is dead. 
Description. — The likeness of the delicate pinnules of 
this Fern to those of the True Maidenhair has no doubt 
suggested its English name. It has a small tufted rootstock, 
which throws up a few fronds, varying from three or four 
to eight or nine inches loug. The stipes is dark brown, 
nearly black at the base, but bright green above — the raeliis 
being also bright green. The first fronds thrown up — an 
inch or so in length — are, mostly, simply pinnate with alter- 
nately placed fan-shaped pinnules notched or cleft into lobes. 
The larger and later fronds are twice pinnate, the raeliis 
bearing, alternately on each side of it, a series of pinnae 
somewhat narrowly egg-shaped in outline, divided into 
alternate, fan-shaped, indented pinnules. The apex of the 
frond is blunt pointed, its general outline being, like its 
pinme, egg-shaped. The veining of the lobes in the pinnules 
is somewhat similar in general appearance to that in the 
True Maidenhair. It consists of a principal vein entering at 
the base of the pinnule and then becoming three or four 
times forked, the branches proceeding to the edges of the 
lobes of the pinnule. Along these branch veins the spore 
cases are placed in lines. They are uncovered, having no 
indusia, and hence the origin of the word Gijmnogramma, 
which is compounded of two Greek words, gxjmnos, ‘naked,’ 
and gramme, ‘ a line : ’ the spore cases being arranged along 
the veins in naked lines. Leptophylla, as applied to the 
British species just described comes from lepios ‘ slender,’ and 
phijllon, ‘ a leaf';’ and very accurately describes this delicate 
little Fern, which is sometimes and appropriately called ‘The 
Slender Gymnogram.’ 
Distribution. — The little plant has a wide geographical 
range, inhabiting warm countries in all the quarters of the 
globe. In Europe it inhabits France, Germany, Greece, 
