43 
grim. This also is an ornamental Fern for rock-work and 
walls. Grive it pure air, and a suitable position, and it 
thrives. In a London atmosphere it dwindles away, neither 
does it like to be a prisoner in a greenhouse. Like a true 
Briton, it must have its liberty. It is generally distributed 
throughout England and Wales, but in some parts it 
flourishes far more than in others. In the vale of the Axe 
it luxuriates, and distinguishes itself. Its polished black 
stalk, and triangular frond, here exceed their usual height. 
In some places the plant is flfteen inches high, generally, 
from eight to twelve. The branches are also branched, and 
triangular. It has a dark glossy green colour, much darker 
than the prickly angular Fern, (polystichum angulare) and 
though it droops likewise, is altogether of a more rigid 
texture. In the walls it is much more stunted than in the 
hedges. The clusters of fruit are linear, and approach the 
mid-rib of the leaflet. The branches grow alternate on the 
mid-stem, and the branchlets are alternate also. The leaflets 
are sharply serrated at their summit, and wedge-shaped at 
their base. The root stock is covered with hairy down, 
some of which reaches up to the lowest part of the frond. 
The roots themselves are dark brown. The stalk is as long 
as, or longer than, the leafy part. The lobes, or leaflets, have 
a mid-vein : the side-veins issue alternately from the mid- 
vein, either branched or unbranched. The fruit lies on one 
or both of these branches of the side-veins. The cover at 
first is white, a line or two long ; soon the clusters of fruit 
thrust ofi* each their respective cover, and a dark mass alone 
appears. The fronds grow together in a tuft. Though this 
is not the Parsley Fern, some fancy it resembles parsley. 
It is, certainly, much more shining, stiff, and formal. This 
is not a mere summer resident. When bleak winter comes, 
and general vegetation ceases, it is visible on our walls and 
banks. It even retains its greenness and freshness until 
the end of May, when the child pushes aside the parent, 
and thin, slight, elegant, rolled-in buds indicate that new 
fronds are now being formed. The end of autumn comes 
before the ripe fruit appears and the plant is fully developed. 
We hardly know where to direct our different friends, as to 
the best place of procuring thriving and flourishing speci- 
mens. They are scattered in tolerable abundance through- 
