50 BRITISH FERNS, 
the margin of the leaf is unfolded: the pinnules have 
no mid-vein, but the veins issue from the footstalk, at 
first few in number, and continually dividing run in 
parallel lines to near the margin, and each at its 
extremity bears the cluster of seeds I have already 
described. 
Every plant seems to have what may be called its 
metropolis, whence it spreads more or less to other 
countries. The True Maidenhair is widely distributed, A 
but its metropolis seems to be in the Atlantic Islands, a 
where the very atmosphere is so impregnated with its 
seeds that every moist stone soon becomes covered 
with it as with a robe of delicious green: from these 
beautiful islands the fern seems to spread to the sea- 
coast of Africa and Europe, growing by the Mediter- 
ranean in abundance, and more Sparingly on the western - 
- Coasts of Spain, Portugal and France. In Great 
+ on the south coast at 
Brixham, and at Mewstone Bay near Berry Head; on 
the north coast at Rillidge Point; in White Pebble Bay; 
and in three or four other localities near Tfraco 
on the opposite side of the Bristol Channel it is 
found on rocks at Dunraven, and on the ck - 
. 
