33 
Prickly Fern (Polystichum) and the Shield Fern (Lastrea) 
under the common name Aspidium. The difference in the 
covers can quite account for their being divided into two 
groups. 
“ There’s beauty all around our paths, 
If but our watchful eyes 
Can trace it ’midst familiar things, 
And through their lowly guise.” 
Plate I, fig. 5. 
1. Common Prickly Fern. Polystichum aculeatum, New- 
man says “The European range of this Fern ex;tends to 
every country except Spain, where one would rather suppose 
it to be unobserved than absent, since it commonly occurs 
throughout France, and ascends the Pyrenees to the height 
of 2500 feet. It is found in Asia, Northern and Southern 
Africa, and North America. In North America it is ex- 
tremely rare, but perfectly identical with our British plant.” 
In this district this species is less common than the follow- 
ing one, the Angular Prickly Fern. 
The Prickly Fern has a short stalk (stipes) which is 
densely covered with scales. The fronds are stifi*, one to 
two feet high, lance-shaped, or even linear. The leafiets 
nearest the rachis or mid- stem of the frond, on the upper 
part of the lower pinnae, are much longer than the one next 
to it, and often overlap the base of the pinnule next above it. 
The leaflets also have no distinct stalk, but are either de- 
current, that is, one leaflet seems to run into the other, or 
have a thick wedge-shaped base, by which it is attached to 
the rachis. If we hold up the Fern, we shall observe that 
the lowest part of this leaflet is close to the mid-stem of the 
frond, while the light will appear in the upper part. The 
pinnse are alternate. The scales are not only upon the stalk, 
but also on the mid-stem or rachis, where they are much 
narrower and almost linear. The whole plant is tough and 
leathery, and not only outlives one, but sometimes two or 
three winters. The difierent years’ production may be 
distinguished by their difference in colour, and their browner 
aspect. It is also more erect than the succeeding species, 
n 
