92 
FEEKT COMBES. 
abounds on mountains — it is yet finer in sheltered 
valleys, where it attains a great size, rivalling the 
largest forms of Filix-mas : on exposed rockwork, 
or as a pot-plant, it generally dwindles to a few 
inches in height. 
Lasteea Tilix-mas. Male Fern, 
Frond lance-shaped, twice divided ; pinnules not 
stalked, separated one from another, serrated ; sori 
medial, and not reaching to the points of the pin- 
nules ; stem pale ; scales very light brovTU. 
A common English Fern, but having so many 
varieties that it is often puzzling to beginners to 
find out the real Filix-mas. 
Var. ixciSA. — The Incised Male Fern . — Fronds 
twice divided ; pinnules occasionally stalked, deeply 
incised and again serrated ; of a lax habit, often 
attaining the height of six feet. Sometimes the 
lower pinnsB are so much developed and cleft as to 
tempt the young botanist to class it as a variety 
of Lastrea dilatata, rather than of Filix-mas. 
A form which seems identical with the var. di- 
chotoma is not uncommon ; it is of smaller size than 
the normal plant ; and while the fertile fronds are 
tolerably regular in form, the barren assume all 
sort of contortions, usually with double or treble 
points to the pinnse. 
