240 
THE FERN PARADISE. 
marked distinction ; that, whereas the lobes of the 
leaflets in Dilatata are curled or crisped back- 
wards, as if more completely to shelter or hide the 
spores, those of Recurva are on the contrary bent 
somewhat in the opposite direction, or forward. 
The lobes in Recurva are, too, of a more delicate 
texture than those of Dilatata , and whilst the 
colour of the mature fronds of the latter is dark 
green, those of the former are of a lighter shade, 
i 
with a kind of light-bluish tinge. In Recurva, 
when the plant is mature in the autumn, the whole 
under surface of the frond is thickly studded with 
the seed-cases which contain the spores. But the 
exquisite hay-scent of Recurva at once decides the 
doubting fern-hunter. Take a mature or even a 
faded frond in the hand, and crush it between the 
fingers, and the delightful odour which will be 
instantly emitted will quickly decide the species, if 
it is a frond of Recurva that you hold ! 
The Hay-scented Buckler Fern attains an 
average height of from eighteen inches to two 
feet. Like all the Buckler Ferns it grows 
readily under cultivation. But it must have 
