hence this Fern is said to be subpinnate, which, in this case, 
means partially pinnate, or pinnate at the very base only. He 
are deeply pinnatifid; they usualfy stand^pp^Ste'eSother , 
in pairs, the lowest pair being directed downwards, towards 
at a short distance from the 7 * "" 
I subpinnate , mode of di- • 
vision, this species may be known from the other British 
polypodies. _ The veins in the lobes of the pinna? are pin¬ 
nate ; that is to say, there is a slender midvem, from which 
alternate venules, mostly unbranched, extend to the margin, 
those near the base of die lobes bearing each one «mall cir- , 
cular sorus near their extremity—the fructification thus be- 
coming almost marginaL 
itnJ? a some yk at fragile plant, enduring no longer than 
till autumn, or the appearance of the first frosts. It grows 
mm in moist mountainous situations and in damp woods, 
often common enough where present, but rather limited in 
its range • occurring however in England to the southward, 
westward, and northward; pretty generally distributed in 
ocotland ; but rarely met with in Ireland. 
, 11 deiicate and graceful Fern for pot-culture or 
mr a Wardian case, and requires plenty of percolating mois- 
rare ; y damp, shady sides of sheltered artificial rock- 
woric, m the open air, it grows with tolerable vigour. 
His species is named Pdypodium Drycypteria by botanists. 
less frequently, called Lastrea Dryfr^ru^ 
gopteris DrycyptJ^*™' ymnocar P mm DrjfQpter#, an P 
The fronds of this delicate little Fern grow from a slender 
creeping stem, which often forms densely matted tufts. 
They are quite smooth, and of a bright light green colour, 
supported by stipes, which are usually about twice as long 
as the leafy part, and are slender, brittle, and dark-coloured. 
The outline is almost pentagonal, the frond being divided 
mto three branches, each of which is of a triangular form. 
Une peculiarity about this species, which is in a slight de¬ 
gree shared by its near ally P. Roberticmum, is the deflexion 
of the rachis at the point where the lat er al branches of the 
