52 BRITISH FERNS. 
shorter than the leafy part of the frond, rather stout, 
smooth and of a pale brown colour; the shape of the 
frond is very varied, but the more common shape is 
something approaching to oval, but pointed at the tip; 
it is very much divided, that is pinnate, the pinne 
being stalked and again pinnate, the pinnules again 
divided, and the divisions notched at the extremity, a 
forked vein running into each; after the fork the 
veins are always curved and are crowded with seed 
from the fork to the end: these clusters of seeds at 
first appear linear, but soon expand and at last cover 
the entire back of the frond. In addition to these 
principal fronds there are others shorter, more mem- 
branous, and consisting merely of three or four fan- 
- shaped divisions, which are either barren or very 
Sparingly seeded. oS 
This is a common fern in the Atlantic Islands and 
also on the shores of the Mediterranean, and in man 
inland localities of Europe, particularly Spain, Por- 
tugal, France, Italy and Greece. The only claim to’ 
its station among British Ferns is its having been 
discovered, in 1852, in Jersey, by a lady whose name 
has not appeared in print; this lady communicated 
her discovery to my friend My. Henry Hagen, who 
kindly sent me speci hen I at Stified the 
“Tame assigned to it in doubt, T had the pleasure of 
communicating this interesting: discovery to the bo- 
tanical public of Britain in the ‘Phytologist’ for 
