104 BRITISH FERNS— SUB-ORDER II. TRIBE 10. 
stitution. To me the greatest proof seems to lie in the difficulty 
in producing hybrids between A. aculeatum and A. angulare. After 
many years of perseverance there now exist several undoubted 
Fig. 35.— Aspidium angulare, var. confluens. Portion of frond. 
crosses ; and again it is as difficult to raise young plants from these 
hybrids. If, however, we mix the varieties of the reputed species, 
i.e. varieties of A. angulare together, or varieties of A. aculeatum, 
then this difficulty no longer occurs, for seedlings come up by the 
thousand. 
As with the Lady Fern and the Hart’s Tongue, this species teems 
with remarkable varieties, and an attempt at classification has 
again been resorted to. 
A common species, except in Scotland, where only found in a 
few localities in the Lowlands. 
It is so mixed up with the last species by botanists that it is 
impossible to trace it with certainty on the Continent. 
One difference in the normal form of the two ferns is in the 
pinnules of A. angulare being stalked and having an obtuse-angled 
base, whilst in A. aculeatum they are without stalks and acute- 
angled.* 
This species selects shady woods and hedgerows, ranging from 
the coast to 600 feet. Evergreen, or subevergreen where exposed, 
varying in length from a few inches to 3 feet. More or less lanceo- 
late in form ; and bipinnate even to quadripinnate. It is difficult 
with all but botanists to distinguish the present from the last 
species. Easily cultivated. 
* Since this has been written, Major Cowburn has found at Dennii Hill a 
variety of Aspidium Aculeatum, with pinnae and pinnules stalked, and which 
has been named stipatum. 
