THE LANCEOLATE SPLEENWORT. 69 
abundant as to become in age confluent over nearly the whole frond. 
Occasionally the sori are set back to back on the venule. Indusium a 
white, oblong membrane, slightly irregular or wavy on the free or an- 
terior margin. Spore-cases globose. Spores ovate, angular, roughish. 
Duration. "The rhizome is perennial. The fronds are persistent, 
and under shelter are produced at various times throughout the 
year, so that the plant is evergreen. 
The nearest affinity of this plant among the British species is with 
Asplenium Adiantum-nigrum, from which it may be known (1), by 
its lanceolate, not deltoid, outline; (2), by the presence of hair- 
scales on its principal and partial rachides ; (3), by the form of the 
sorus, which is oblong, not linear, the sori in this specles being 
nearly represented in appearance by the upper half of those of 
Adiantum-nigrum ; and (4), by the position of the sorus, which is in 
this species produced above, and in Adiantum-nigrum below, the 
fork of the veins; in the latter, consequently, the sori are nearer 
the costa, and central with respect to the pinnules, whilst in /an- 
ceolatum they are submarginal. The texture also is thinner, and 
the pinnules are shorter, and more equable in size. 
Though not entirely confined to the sea-coast, this plant must be 
regarded as a maritime or submaritime and also a southern species. 
Its head quarters seem to be the shores of the Bristol Channel, 
as it occurs from the Land's End throughout the peninsula formed 
by the counties of Cornwall and Devon, and through Somerset to 
Gloucestershire on. the one side, and in the counties of Glamorgan 
and Pembroke on the other; thence continuing along the shore of 
Cardigan bay, appearing in the counties of Merioneth and Carnar- 
von, and perhaps Denbigh, one of its stations, near Llanrwst, being 
near the boundary of these counties. It again occurs in a more 
southward and inland station, at Tunbridge Wells. There are some 
doubtful records of its occurrence in Oxfordshire, Shropshire, and 
Yorkshire; the latter record, according to Bolton’s figure, certainly 
pertaining to Asplenium Adiantum-nigrum. The true Asplenium lan- 
ceolatum has been recently found -by Mr. Woods, at Kinsale, Cork, 
and is thus added to the Flora of Ireland, in which country other 

