274 
THE FERN PARADISE. 
found growing away from the sea, and even 
in these rare instances the plants have been 
removed but a short distance from the direct 
influence of the sea air. The true habitat of 
the Sea Spleenwort is the open sea coast ; 
sometimes on the outside face of the rocks, 
and sometimes within shadowy caverns. It 
not only grows in crevices between the rocks, 
but on the rock itself, into which it insinuates 
its roots. Sometimes it grows on the roofs 
and at the sides of dripping caverns ; and in 
such situations it will often spread its roots 
like a web over the damp, stony surfaces. 
Its fronds are leathery in texture, and of 
so bright, fresh, and shining a green colour 
that it is positively refreshing to look upon 
them. Average specimens are six or eight 
inches long ; but in dripping sea caves they 
sometimes hang pendant from the roofs, and 
reach a length of as much as eighteen inches. 
The shape of the frond of the Sea Spleenwort 
is narrowly oblong, broadest about the centre, 
narrowing slightly towards the base, tapering 
