90 
Moore describes it as a variation of the spinnlosa tribe, in 
which the pinnules are irregularly developed, here and there 
depauperated (much smaller) and in some parts enlarged 
and broader than usual. Hawkchurch. M. 
Common Peickly Peen. Folystichum aculeatum. 
See jpage 46 . 
1. Lobed Prickly Pern. Lolatum, In the Common 
Prickly Pern there are auricles to many leaflets of a 
pinna, and these are placed on the side which is most 
distant from the mid-stem ; in this they are only on the 
lowest leaflet, and there, too, not very visible. This is also 
a much smaller plant, about a foot high, and has a very 
narrow lance-shaped frond. It is stiff*, leathery, chaffy, and 
of a yellowish green colour. The stalk is short. The 
leaffets, except the lowest on a pinna, are decurrent, and 
sometimes even that one is decurrent also. They are also 
convex, with their edges bending downwards, and their 
serratures ending in a prickle. Very few bristles are on 
the leaflets, sometimes only one on the summit. When a 
frond is kept in an herbarium of this variety, it is apt to 
fade and become a very pale green colour. 
This is more frequently met with in our locality than 
the regular form. Most of the habitats assigned to the 
Prickly Pern, FolysticJium aculeatum, apply to this variety. 
This has been found in the parishes of Axminster, Chard, 
Colyton, Hawkchurch, Stockland, and though not abundant, 
grows probably, more or less, throughout the district. 
2. Irregularly Diminished Prickly Pern. Bispar, In 
this variety, which much resembles the preceding, the pinnae 
are sometimes forked and vary in length : thus a pinna two 
inches long lies between two others that are three inches or 
in some similar proportion. M. Hawkchurch. 
3. Much-cleft Prickly Pern. Multijldum, This has the 
apex of the frond much divided into a spreading tuft of 
branches. In some cases plants are found only once or 
twice forked at their apex. Chardstock and Thorncombe. 
