110 
HISTORY OF BRITISH FERNS. 
average height— the margins run nearly parallel almost to 
the apex, where they narrow to a blunt point ; the stipes 
rather exceeds a third of the length of the entire frond, 
and is proportionally stout, maintaining this proportion 
upwards through the leafy portion of the frond ; on its 
lower part it bears a few scales, which are blunt ovate, 
membranous, and of a uniform light brown colour. The 
pinnae are elongate-triangular in their outline, the broadest 
occurring at the base of the frond, the upper ones becom- 
ing gradually narrower, but all of the same general form, 
namely, widest at the base, gradually tapering to the apex. 
They are not divided quite down to their midrib, so 
as to become, in technical terms, pinnate, but each 
segment is attached by the entire width of its base, and 
connected by a narrow extension of its base with the seg- 
ment next behind it ; all the segments having their apices 
inclined rather towards the apex of the pinna. These lobes 
of the pinnae are themselves oblong, with a rounded apex, 
and a crenately-toothed margin. 
The midvein of the lobes takes a tortuous course, and 
gives off lateral branches, which 3ivide into several secon- 
dary branches, one only of which, that nearest the apex of 
the lobe, bears a sorus. The fructification is confined to 
