56 
the covers remain, afterwards a dark black mass alone 
appears enough to perplex the young collector, if he take 
such a specimen to determine the species. In the leaflets 
the side-veins are forked, and there are from six to twelve 
clusters of fruit on each. This Spleen- wort is an evergreen. 
When the frond begins to decay, the leafy part falls off, but 
the wiry rachis and stalk remain, a dense and dreary tuft. 
As the bald head and grey hairs presage the wasting away 
of the human body, so the accumulation of these leafless 
stalks betokens the desolating effect of age on this portion 
of the vegetable world. 
The fronds make their appearance in the spring. The 
spores, invisible to the human eye, are wafted through the 
air and often settle on some chink in the mortar of an old 
wall. There a little plant is formed, upward the little curled- 
in frond raises itself, downward the root insinuates, and 
hastens the destruction of the building upon which it settles. 
By far the most luxuriant specimens are gathered on the 
shady hedge-banks. It is found growing in a perfectly wild 
state, on the cliffs of Beer, nature’s own habitat, and not an 
artificial position, such as walls, hedges, &c. 
This plant has no pretensions to medicinal virtues, but is 
generally used instead of the true Maidenhair for making 
capillaire. Old Gerarde says, “The decoction made in 
wine, and drunk, helpeth them that are short winded. It 
helpeth the cough, ripeneth the tough phlegm, and voideth 
it by spitting. The lie wherein it hath been sodden, or 
laid to infuse, is good to wash the head, causing the scurf 
and scales to fall off and hair to grow in places that are 
pilled and bare.” 
Probably it is designated Maiden-hair Spleen-wort, as 
bearing a humble representation of the true Maiden-hair. 
Adiantum capillus Veneris. The classical name was given 
from two Greek words, signifying to luxuriate in hair^ be- 
cause it was considered to “ stay the shedding of the hair, 
and cause it to grow thick.” * There is very little difference 
in the nomenclature of this species. 
This Fern is introduced with advantage upon ornamental 
rock work. As there is great difficulty in extracting the 
* Parkinson, page 1051. 
