65 
this. The stalk is short and scaly. The roots, though not 
long, force their way into the mortar or crevices of the 
rocks, to which they firmly adhere. As the plant generally 
grows on limestone, we are surprised that it has not been 
found at Charmouth or Lyme. Being rather fieshy, it is 
difficult to discover the veins. The mid-vein rises from the 
lower corner and bends its winding course to the middle 
of the highest part of the lobe. The side-veins rise 
alternately, and fork once or twice successively, and intersect 
each other. The clusters are always on the highest branch 
of each, opening towards the top of the leaflet or division, 
except in the case of the lowest branch of the lowest side- 
vein, which often has fruit also : then the covers of the 
clusters open towards the mid-rib of the frond. If other 
English Eerns were found in a fossilized state, it is very 
improbable that this would be discovered. Much water 
causes it to decay. It is generally found on a dry rock or 
wall. Larger specimens are however gathered in places 
not exposed to the mid-day sun. The upper surface of the 
plant is of a dull green colour with a shade of yellow. In 
its young state, it is curious to see how the alternate divisions 
of the curled-in fronds, like the teeth of a rat gin, exactly 
fit into one another. 
This is rather a scarce Bern, especially in the Devonshire 
part of the district, and here only found growing on ivalls. 
In olden times this was in great repute for diseases of the 
spleen. Dioscorides, mentioned in the verses at the head 
of this article, was not the only person to recommend it. 
Parkinson states, that the herb and root being boiled and 
taken, helpeth all melancholicke diseases, and the lye that 
is made of the ashes thereof, being drunk for some time 
together, helpeth splenetic persons.” Vitruvius^ says, 
“that the swine in Candy (Crete) where it grew, by feeding 
thereon, were found to be without spleens, when, as others 
that did not eat thereof, had them as the rest.”t Hence 
the name of Spleenwort, Asplenium, from «, not, and splen, 
spleen. This was also used as a bait for cod fishing. 
* We presume that this is the great Architect who flourished about 50 B.c, 
t Parkinson, page 1046. 
E 
