58 HISTORY OP BRITISH PERNS.
numerous slight ridges, the sheaths green, close,
with from sixteen to twenty sharp-pointed dark-
coloured teeth; branches short, few, often wanting.
6. E. palustre, Linnoeus. — Stems similar, slightly
rough, with from six to eight broad prominent
ridges, the sheaths pale, loose, with acute wedge-
. shaped, brown-tipped teeth; branches erect.
7. E. Mackaii, Newman.— Stems similar, very rough,
with from eight to twelve ridges, and having close
sheaths, which alternately become wholly black,
and have narrow subulate teeth ; almost branchless.
8. E. hyemale, Linnoeus.— Stems similar, very rough,
with from fourteen to twenty ridges, and having
close whitish sheaths banded with black at the top
and bottom ; the teeth slender, deciduous ; almost
branchless. Plate XX. fig. 1.
9. E. variegatum. Welter et Mohr.— Stems similar, very
rough, with from four to ten ridges, and having
slightly enlarged sheaths, green below, Tilack
above, with obtuse teeth tipped by a deciduous
bristle ; almost branchless.
h. Wilsoni.— Stems less rough, taller.
59
THE BRITISH EERNS.
“ Sweet to muse upon His skill display’d
(Infinite skill) in aU tkat He has made !
To trace in Nature’s most minute design
The signature and stamp of power Divine;
Contrivance intricate, express’d with ease.
Where uninstructed sight no beauty sees! ”
Genus X II. ADIANTUM,* Linnceus.
T h e Adiantum, or Maideu-hair, may be known among the
British Eerns by its almost fan-shaped leaflets or pinnules,
which are attached by their narrow end, to the little black
hair-like stalks. This, however, though sufficient by which
to recognize it, among the very limited number of kinds
which are found in a wild state in Britain, is not its proper
distinctive mark. The real characteristics lie in the veins
and in the so r i: the former may be readily seen by holding
a pinnule between the eye and a strong light, and the latter
by lifting up the little reflexed lobes which occur here and
* The Genera are arranged for facility of reference in alphabetical order.
Their place in the systematic arrangement is denoted by their No., which
agrees with the preceding Table.