being in age short and often dilated, approaching the rounded 
form, the Lady Fern has, by many writers of discrimination,, 
been placed in the old genus Aspidium; but if examined, 
while young, immediately before or after the indusium lias 
burst, its true character will readily be seen. We here have 
inconvenience which arises from the 
preservation as herbarium specimens, only of s 
the fructification quite mature. 
The affinity of the Lady Fern is properly with the Aspic 
mums. ' The mark by which the Aspleniums and their allies 
are known, in addition to the elongated form of the sorns, 
is its position on the side, not the back, of the veins; the 
receptable being said to be lateral. The present group is 
distinguished by having its indusium fringed on the free 
tnargin with capillary segments, and by the frequently horse¬ 
shoe-shaped son, while in Asplenium, the margin of the in¬ 
dusium is without the fringe, and the sori are not turned 
t*ack. There is only one indigenous species of Lady Fern. 
The name is derived from a Greek word signifying opened, 
the allusion being to the turned-back position into which the 
indusium is forced by the swelling spore-cases, bursting out 
COMMON LADY I 
its; other synonymous name: 
[Plate M 
^ nina.Aspidium Filix-fcemina, and Asplea . I 
The Lady Fem, on account of the exquisite grace of in¬ 
habit of growth, the elegance of its form, and the delicacy of 
its hue, claims precedence over every other British species. , 
The plant is tufted, the caudex of the larger varieties often 
with age acquiring some height, and elevating thedrclet of. 
fronds on a rude pedestal a few inches in length. The fronds 
are developed from the summit of this stem about May or 
June, a score or upwards being often produced by strong old 
giants; they reach maturity early in the summer, during 
which time a few additional fronds are generally developed 
ifrajn the centre; and the whole of them are, under ordinary 
■gwumstances, destroyed by the autumn frosts. The frondsare 
lanceolate, more or less broad, bipinnate; the pinnae lanceo¬ 
late, more or less drawn out at the point, and again pinnate, 
though sometimes with the bases of the pinnules connected 
