FERNY COMBES. 
95 
Lastrea rigid a. Rigid Shield Fern. 
Frond broad at the base, twice divided; pinnules 
not differing much in size on the upper and under 
side of the midrib; pinnules lobed; lobes with three 
or four minute serratures; rigid, glandular; stem 
chaffy, with red scales. Supposed to be confined 
to limestone hills in the North of England: not 
recognized as a West-country Fern. 
Lastrea cristata. Crested Shield Fern. 
Frond very narrow ; pinnae short; pinnules not 
notably differing in size on the upper and under 
side of the midrib, rarely more than six in number. 
Frond twice divided; pinnules cleft; seed large on 
the upper portion of the frond ; broad pale scales. 
Not known in Devon. 
Lastrea spinulosa. Spiny Shield Fern. 
Frond narrow, twice divided; pinnules longer 
on the under than on the upper side of the midrib ; 
pinnules serrated and spiny. Stem furnished scan¬ 
tily with broad pale scales; seed small, covering 
the frond. There is another form of spinulosa 
which is broad and dilated like dilatata. The root 
of spinulosa is decumbent. We consider spinulosa a 
difficult fern for beginners to identify, as it greatly 
resembles some forms of dilatata; and though we 
