76 
THE CRESTED BUCKLER FERN. 
entire indusia, in all which respects they perfectly 
agree. On the other hand, it is in these points that 
they differ from the dilatata gronp. In the folio 
edition of this work, we were led, in deference to the 
more commonly received opinion, to treat of spinulosa 
separately; but after some years’ further observation, 
we revert to our former view, and place it here under 
cristata 
To this it may be well to add the special distinctions 
which characterize the whole group of what were once 
called Crested Shield Ferns — L. cristata , uliginosa , 
spinulosa, dilatata , and cemula , although L. cristata 
is only known in the Lake Country by its variety 
spinulosa , — the true Crested Buckler Fern and var. 
uliginosa occurring only in more southern counties.f 
Lastrea cristata grows with very erect, narrow, ob¬ 
long fronds, whose deltoid pinnae are not quite divided 
down to the midrib, the lobes being attached by the 
whole width of the base, and oblong, with a rounded 
apex. The stipes is sparingly furnished with broad, 
obtuse, membranous, white-coloured scales; and the 
caudex is creeping. 
Lastrea uliginosa has two or three sorts of fronds. 
One set, the earlier barren ones, resemble those of 
cristata, the fertile being bipinnate at the bases of the 
pinnae; the fronds narrow-oblong, the lobes tapering 
* Nature-Printed British Ferns , octavo edition, 1863. 
f L. cristata has recently been reported from Grasmere, by 
Mr. J. Robinson, of Rydal. There is, however, a possibility 
that at some time it may have been planted there. 
