THE BUCKLER FERNS. 
393 
recognizable. There is further an unmistakable 
mark of recognition in the form of its fronds. 
About these there is a sort of general resemblance 
to the Male Fern, except in one particular. In 
the Male Fern the frond tapers to a point upwards; 
but not in the opposite direction, although the 
branches at the base of the frond are usually 
a little shorter than those in the centre. But the 
branches of the frond in the Mountain Buckler 
Fern taper downwards towards the base, almost 
as much as they taper upwards; the branches in 
the lowest part being nothing more than the tiniest 
leafy excrescences on each side of the rachis. 
This continuation of the leafy portion of the frond 
downwards necessarily leaves but a very short 
stipes to the Mountain Buckler Fern; and this short 
stipes is covered with golden-coloured scales. On 
the rachis of the frond in this Fern, the branches 
are placed ’on each side in pairs. Each branch 
has a row of lobes on its upper and under side, 
clearly divided from each other, but not divided 
quite down to the mid-stem of the branch. The 
branches, which are narrowly lance-shaped, have 
thus the appearance of being very deeply notched 
