THE POLYPODIES. 
323 
triangular. The stem is exceedingly brittle and 
herbaceous, and its lower portion is covered with 
light scales. The leafy part of the frond is in 
colour a light delicate green, and it has a pecu¬ 
liarly downy appearance. On each side of the 
rachis is a row of leaflets, shortening as they 
near the point of the frond. These leaflets are 
narrow and tapering, terminating in a point, and 
* the lowest and longest pair stand on the rachis 
or midrib of the frond, quite distinct from the 
others; but those on the upper portion of the 
frond are connected by a sort of leafy wing, which 
runs on each side of the rachis; and in this way 
the leaflets become gradually merged, until the 
frond ends in a serrated apex. One peculiarity 
about this Fern must be noted. The lowest, and 
also the longest, pair of leaflets are turned down¬ 
wards, their points being directed from the rachis 
obliquely towards the ground, giving a curious 
appearance to the frond. Along the entire length 
of each leaflet, under a sort of marginal arrange¬ 
ment, lie the spore-cases, in little, round, unpro¬ 
tected clusters. The leaflets themselves are deeply 
notched or cleft, those on the lowest part of the 
