THE FERN PARADISE. 
198 
into the point of the frond. Placed on opposite 
sides of the stem, on the two lowest pairs of 
branches, are pairs of leaflets ; the largest of which 
— those nearest the commencement of the rachis 
— being quite separated from the pairs next them, 
and themselves slightly notched or serrated. The 
succeeding pairs of leaflets are less and less 
notched, and less separated from the outer pairs, 
until they Anally blend in the point of the branch 
in the same way as the branches blend at the 
point of the frond. The same gradual process is 
observable in the upper branches or leaflets of the 
frond, the lobes on the lowest of these branches 
being divided down to the midrib at the base of 
the branch, and less divided towards its point. 
The fourth pair of branches or leaflets from the 
commencement of the rachis is deeply notched 
only : the next pair above less notched and less 
distinct, and so on until, as before explained, they 
all blend in a point. 
The Limestone Polypody has not a wide distri- 
bution. It occurs in localities in the north of 
England, and is found in some parts of the West 
