344 
THE FERN PARADISE. 
of four or five feet under favourable circum¬ 
stances. In the Soft as well as tbe Hard 
Prickly Shield Fern, the branches of the frond 
are alternately placed along the rachis. The 
leaflets, too, are cut and stalked very much in the 
same manner in both Ferns, and, in both, are of a 
wing-shaped form. In both, also, the branches of 
the frond are narrow and taper to a point. 
But now for the distinctions we have noted. In 
a finel} r grown specimen of Angulare, the character 
which gives appropriateness to the designation of 
this Fern is immediately recognized. The hard, 
rigid appearance of Aculeatum is absent. Angu- 
lare is, in fact, much less stiff in its mode of 
growth, and looks much more graceful and droop¬ 
ing. Its stipes is more densely covered with rust- 
coloured scales than is the case with Aculeatum , 
and these rust-coloured scales are scattered, also, 
over the whole of the back of the frond, being 
very prominently displayed on the rachis, and on 
the midribs of the branches. There is conse¬ 
quently, a rich reddish tinge on the backs of the 
fronds, and, indeed, in a great measure on both 
sides of the fronds of Angulare. The green 
