POLYSTICHUM. 
95 
which are ronndish-oblong, so closely placed that they 
overlap each other. It also bears young plants on the 
stipes below the surface of the soil. It was found in 
Somersetshire, 
Another exceedingly curious form is that which we have 
called alatum, Jn this the fronds are rather small ; and 
the pinnules are connected by a very obvious leafy expan- 
sion which margins the rachis, forming along the side of 
the latter what is technically called a wing. This is also 
a Somersetshire variety. 
The variety cristatum is one of much beauty. The 
extremity of the ffond, and the extremities of all the 
pinnm, are expanded into tassel-like tufts, as occurs in 
the tasselled or crested varieties of the Male Fern and the 
Lady Fern. 
There are many other variations; some with narrow 
acute pinnules, some with blunt rounded pinnules, others 
with the pinnules deeply serrated, and some very conspicu- 
ously spinulose. In certain very elegant forms, the pinnge 
and pinnules, and lobes and teeth, are exceedingly irre- 
gular in size and form. The varieties, too numerous to 
enumerate here, will be found in our Handbook."^ 
This is a not uncommon Fern, growing in hedge-banks 
