100 BRITISH FERNS. — SUB-ORDER II. TRIBE 10 . 
Tribe 10. ASPIDIE/E. 
THE HOLLY FERN. 
Aspidium lonchitis. — Swartz. 
(POLYSTICHUM LONCHITIS. — Rot/l.) 
A MOUNTAIN fern, ranging from 
1,000 to 3,000 feet above the sea. 
It is pinnate, very rigid, and the 
margin conspicuously spinous. 
Mostly found amongst stones ; 
frequently the roots running along 
the roof of small cavernous rocks, 
and therefore easily detached with- 
out injury. In most localities it 
requires to be grown in a frame 
in a somewhat moist atmosphere. 
A difficult fern to cultivate success- 
fully. 
Fig. 33.— Aspidium lonchitis. 
Some of its native habitats are now destroyed. It is recorded as 
having been found on Snowdon; in the English lakes, on Helvellyn, 
Fairfield, Deepdale, near Ullswater and Farleton Knott ; in several 
places in Yorkshire ; in Teesdale ; Ben Lomond, Ben Lawers, Ben 
Chonzie, Ben Voirlich, Ben Ledi, Clova, and other places in the 
East Highlands ; mountains in Inverness, Isle of Mull, Ross, 
Sutherland, Orkney ; Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Meath, and Kerry. 
Found also on the mountains of Iceland, Lapland, Sweden, and 
Denmark ; and in the Arctic regions; Germany, Hungary, France, 
Belgium, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Greece, Kashmir, Altai, Kamts- 
chatka, and the Rocky Mountains. 
An evergreen fern with linear lanceolate pinnate fronds from 6 
to 18 inches in length, of a rich green colour. 
There are but few varieties : — 
1. confertum, Lowe. Ireland. Smaller, and imbricated. 
2. cristatum. Found on Ben Qui by Dr. Craig. Is well crested. 
3. imbricatum, Boyd. Found by Mr. Boyd. Isa distinct imbri- 
cated variety. A similar one was received many years ago from 
Ireland. 
4. multifidum, Moore. Multifid, but not constant. 
5. proliferum, Moore. Producing bulbils in the axils of the 
lower pinnae. 
THE COMMON PRICKLY SHIELD FERN. 
Aspidium aculeatum.— Swartz. 
Sub-section. Polystichum. 
A LARGE-GROWING, handsome evergreen fern, which could only 
be confused with Aspidium angulare ; the pinnules, however, are 
