132 
BRITISH FERNS. 
Aspidium aculeatum is found commonly in most of 
our woodland districts. 
This fern is very easily managed in cultivation, and, 
though it is scarcely so hardy as lobatum, it bears expo- 
sure pretty well. It requires the usual accommodation 
of good drainage and a fair allowance of sand and peat, 
and thus treated it is a very satisfactory member of the 
fernery, stately in its growth and continuing green all 
the winter. These are the hardiest of our native ferns, 
and we have Mr. Newman’s authority for saying that 
they will flourish well even in a London atmosphere. 
12. Aspidium aculeatum 9 var. angular e. Angular- 
leaved Shield-fern, 
Caudex short, stout, knotted, densely scaly. Stem short, stout. 
Frond 1 to 3 feet long. Leaflets small, close, ovate, spiny, those 
at the base larger than the rest. Sori in two rows. 
The caudex in this fern is woody and trunk-like, 
throwing up circular tufts of stems, which are longer 
than in the last described, and equally covered with 
rusty scales. The pinnae are alternate, but are less close 
to one another ; the whole frond is lanceolate in form, 
broader than its co-varieties, and of a softer texture than 
theirs ; it is more shaggy, the leaflets smaller, more nu- 
merous, each one rounded at the base, with a lobe or 
ear. This fern also retains its verdure through winter 
when not too much exposed. 
This fern appears in the same series of varieties as 
the last described. 
Yar. acutum has the pinnules eared and stalked. 
Yar. tripinnatum is easily distinguishable by the posi- 
tion of the pinnce, which lie horizontally one over an- 
