MAIDENHAIR SPLEENWORT. 145 
preceding it; they are attached to the stalk by their 
midrib only, and when the frond approaches decay, the 
pinne fall off like the leaves of trees, leaving the 
stalks quite naked; these are very durable, lasting 
from year to year, and become a dense tuft of bristles, 
The lateral veins are forked soon after leaving the 
midvein, the anterior branch bearing a linear mass of 
seeds almost immediately after the division: this mass 
is at first covered with a long, linear, white, mem- 
branous involucre; as the seeds swell, this involucre 
becomes obliterated, and the masses, which are dark 
brown, become nearly confluent in two series; these, 
howeyer, very rarely unite over the midrib: the masses 
are about twelve in number. 
_ This beautiful little fern is found in every country” 
of Europe, in Africa, in the Islands of the Atlantic, 
where it is called Asplenium anceps, and in North 
America, where it is called Asplenium trichomanoides. 
t occurs generally throughout England, Wales, Scot- 
d and Ireland, growing on rocks, walls, churches, 
» banks, and especially the banks of hedge-rows. 
| Essex. At Churt, near Godalming, 
and very beautiful form of this fern — 
oo : 
