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is lanceolate, more or less broad ; and they are supported
on stipes wliich are scaly at the base, and usually about a
third of the entire length of the fronds. The division of the
fronds is what is called bipinnate; the pinnæ are always
lanceolate, more or less drawn out at the point, and they are
always again pinnate, though sometimes with the bases of
the pinnules connected by a narrow leafy wing, hut not so
much so as to render them merely pinnatifid. The pinnules,
however, are more or less lobed or pinnatifid, the lobes being
sharply toothed in a varying manner.
From the dehcate herbaceous texture of the fronds the
venation is very distinct ; and is seen to consist, in each
pinnule, of a wavy midvein, from which proceed alternate
venules, which again produce alternate veinlets, and on the
anterior side of this series of veins, at some distance from
the margin, is borne an oblong sorus ; in the larger and
more divided pinnules the veining is more compound, and
more than one sorus is produced from each primary venule,
which thus becomes a midvein, with branches on a smaller
scale. The sori are themselves oblong, a little curved, and
they are covered by indusia of the same form. Both the
sorus and the indusium, on the development of the spore-
cases, become bulged in the centre and contracted at the
'
ends, appearing more curved than before, and the sorus
thus becomes finally roundish in outline, and the indusium
apparently almost circular with a lateral notch ; in this
state it somewhat resembles a Lastrea. On one side the indusium
is fixed longitudinally to the side of the vein which
forms the receptacle ; its other margin, the anterior one, or
that towards the midvein of the pinnule, becomes free, and
is then seen to be fringed, or split into-a number of hair-hke
segments. This description applies to the commoner forms
of the Lady Eern, which, however, are very variable in size,
according to the situation and circumstances which influence
their development, sometimes scarcely exceeding a foot in
height, and at other times reaching the height of four or
five feet, the latter being the result of growth in a damp,
shady situation, the former the consequence of a more exposed
and drier locality.
Of the varieties we shall notice only the most striking,
and of these convexum is botanically the most distinct, and
probably should be regarded as a distinct species. It differs
from the commoner Lady Eerns in its more lady-like proportions,
both its fronds, its pinnæ, and its pinnules being
smaller and more slender than in them. The fronds seldom,
exceed two feet in height, and are often less ; they are more
;hil