THE FEMALE BUCKLER FERFT, 
oe Marsh Fern. 
Lastrea Thelypteris .* — Peesl. 
The Lastreas (not Lastraeas as often written) take 
their name from M. deLastre. They are to be known 
from Polystichum (both belonging to the Aspidieae) 
by the outline of the indusium, which is kidney-shaped, 
or roundish with a notch in the side, the attachment 
to the frond being at the notched part. There are no 
less than eight species of this genus found in Great 
Britain (and in the Lake District), and the group in- 
cludes some of the largest, the commonest, and the 
most elegant of our Ferns. 
The rhizome creeps extensively, sparingly branched, 
producing fronds at intervals, slender, smooth and 
blackish brown, having a few pale brown scales at the 
growing point, and numerous fibres. The stipes is as 
long as or longer than the leafy portion in the fertile 
frond, rather shorter and slighter in the barren, the 
whole frond growing to the height of from six inches 
to more than three feet, the fertile fronds the taller. 
The fronds, produced about May and perishing in 
Autumn, are delicate in texture, pale green, lanceolate, 
and pinnate ; the pinnae mostly opposite, a short dis- 
tance apart, and pinnatifidly divided into numerous 
* The Polypodium Thelypteris of Linnaeus, also Aspidium The- 
lypteris, Polystichum Thelypteris, Athyrium Thelypteris, &c. 
