THE WOODSIAS. 
227 
In pots, in cool nooks of the open-air rockery, 
or under a covering of glass, this beautiful and 
delicate little fern may be grown. Complete 
shade, moisture pure and percolating, must be 
supplied. Light, sandy, peaty soil must be used, 
and the fern planted carefully amongst little 
blocks of stone. 
2. THE ALPINE WOODSIA. 
Woodsia alpina . 
Alpina is a sort of diminutive likeness of Ilvensis. 
Narrow, blunt-pointed fronds, shorter and narrower 
than those of Ilvensis. From a tufted crown these 
little fronds are thrown up, jointed just a little 
more than half an inch from the ground. The 
leaflets along the rachis are somewhat shorter 
and blunter than those of Ilvensis , are not so 
much notched, and are placed on each side in 
alternation. But they get smaller towards the 
top of the frond, by a somewhat slow process of 
gradation, finally blending, however, at its ex- 
