THE SHIELD KERNS. 
branches alternately placed along and on each 
side of the mid-stem or rachis. These branches 
are again divided into leaflets, each leaflet being 
wing- shaped and attached to the mid-stem of 
the branch by a short but distinct stalk. The 
arrangement of these leaflets is as follows. The 
mid-stems of the branches — which, as before 
stated, run at intervals along each side of the 
rachis — are placed at right angles with the latter. 
On these branch mid- stems are arranged in the 
most beautiful order, wing-shaped leaflets — one 
row above and one row underneath the stem. The 
first leaflet next the rachis, on the upper part 
of each stem, is larger than the others, but 
with this exception all the leaflets gradually 
become diminished in size as they run from the 
rachis towards the point of each branch. This 
gradation of leaflets over and under the stem 
goes on until the branch ends in a point. Each 
leaflet is sharply spiked or toothed, and hence the 
prickly appearance of this Fern. The fronds are 
dark green in colour and rigid in texture. When 
the Hard Prickly Shield Fern has reached matu- 
rity in September, the backs of all its leaflets, 
309 
