ASPLENIUM. 
169 
toothed, except at the base. Sori few, confluent. Involucres 
small, white, thin. 
This rare and exquisite fern is furnished with a dense 
mass of roots ; the caudex is somewhat tuberous ; the 
stems slender, tinged with 
brown at the base, and having 
a few scales; the fronds are 
upright, from 6 to 8 
inches in height ; the pinnae 
are near together on the upper 
part of the frond, more distant 
below ; the lower pinnae are 
dwarfed, and only divided into 
three leaflets. 
The British habitats of this 
plant are said to be in Sur- 
rey, Derbyshire, Dorsetshire, 
Hants, and Wales, but not one 
of them is well authenticated. 
The best mode of cultivation for it is to place it in a 
pot in compost of peat, silver sand, and broken bricks. 
Its foreign homes are in central Europe, as France, 
Italy, Spain, and Germany. 
35. Asplenmm Filix-fcemina, Bernli, Short-fruited 
Spleenwort, or iLady-fern* 
Caudex ascending, chaffy with broad rusty scales. Steins 
tufted, a span long, straw-coloured. Fronds tall, oblong, sud- 
denly tapering, bipinnate. Pinnse numerous, oblong, lanceo- 
late, pointed. Leaflets numerous, near together, sessile, oblong, 
blunt. Segments ovate, serrated. Sori copious, straight or 
curved. Involucres convex, fringed at the margin. 
This fern is called Athyrium by Moore, and Aspidium 
