THE HOLLY FERN 
28l 
stock, and are generally from six to eighteen inches in 
length, sometimes reaching a length of two feet. In shape 
they are narrowly and sharply lanceolate, tapering to their 
apices, broadest towards the centre, and tapering also to their 
bases, where the pinnules are reduced to tiny leafy expan- 
sions. Along the whole length of the racliis are scattered, 
more particularly on its under side, a number of pointed, 
light-brown scales, which are thickly clustered at the lower 
part of the rachis. Sometimes the upper part — next the 
rachis — of the base of each pinnule — the part which, expanded 
upwards in the form of a lobe, gives to the somewhat crescent- 
shaped outline of the pinnule its distinct wing-shaped appear- 
ance — projects beyond the base of the pinnule above it, thus 
causing an overlapping of the pinnules throughout the frond. 
The edges of all the pinnules are sharply serrated, or set 
with spiny teeth, giving a prickly look to the entire frond, 
the colour of which is a light green. The venation consists 
•of a mid-vein in each pinnule, with numerous forked venules, 
extending to the margin, and bearing the clustered spore 
cases, each cluster being circular and covered by a circular 
indusium attached to the pinnules by a short stalk at the 
centre of its under side. The fructification is usually confined 
to the upper half of the frond, the sori being arranged in 
lines on each side of the mid-veins of the pinnules, the two 
lines becoming sometimes almost confluent, and when the 
indusia have fallen off turning to a rich brown colour, and 
adding to the beauty of the frond. There are three variations 
of the normal form of this species. 
Distribution. — This Fern is found very generally through- 
out Europe, being an inhabitant of Denmark, France, Germany, 
Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Lapland, Russia, Spain, 
Sweden, and Switzerland. It is also an inhabitant of Asia 
Minor, of Kamtschatka, of the Altai Mountains, and of the 
continent of North America. In England it has only been 
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