9 
POLYSTICHUM LOBATUM. Swaetz. 
f Close Leaved Prickly Shield Fern.) 
SYJs^ONYMES. 
The same as those for P. aculeatum. 
DESCRIPTION. 
The principal difference between this and the preceding" 
fern is in the form of the frond, which is much narrower, 
more rigid, and altogether smaller, seldom growing more 
than twelve or eighteen inches high. Pinnules without 
auricles, and only the lower one (and sometimes not that) 
divided to the midrib of the pinna. The whole frond often 
only pinnate with deeply toothed pinnae, as in the variety 
loncliitidioides, which is thought by some to be the connect- 
ing link between the more divided forms of prickly ferns 
and P. Lonchitis (Holly Fern). Bernhardi thinks them all 
forms of P. Lonchitis. P. lobatum is now considered by all 
botanists to be only a variety of P. aculeatum 
LOCALITY. 
Wentbridge. 
Plate Y. 
c. 
