and hedge-rows throughout Great Britain, and especially so
in Ireland ; it also occurs throughout Europe, and in Asia,
Africa, and North America. The monstrous varieties are of
Irish origin; though the parsley-like one has also been
found in Scotland.
Few of our native Eerns are more easily cultivated than
this. A rather boggy soil suits it best, and it loves shade
and moisture ; indeed, these latter conditions being fulfilled,
soil becomes a secondary consideration. The moisture,
however, though abundant, should not be stagnant. The
Lady Eern is occasionally seen planted in the mouth of a
cave or recess by water among shady rock-work ; nothing is
so lovely as a finely-grown plant of it so situated.
“ Supreme in her beauty, beside the full urn.
In the shade of the rock, stands the tall Lady Fern,”
As a pot plant it requires plenty of room, both for its
roots and fronds, and must be liberally watered.
By the older botanists this plant was called Polypodium
Filix-foemina. It was then transferred to Aspidium, under
the name of Aspidium Filix-foemina ; and subsequently by
other botanists it has been called Asplenium Filix-foe.mïna,
which latter name is still given to it by those who do not
adopt the genus
Genus X III. BLECHNUM, Linnoeus.
I t is not quite agreed among botanists, whether the English
plant should be considered a member of the genus or family
called Blechnum, or that which bears the name of Lomaria.
We think it most nearly related to the former, although
in the contraction of its fertile fronds it approaches very
near, the latter. Among the British species the plant under
notice—for there is only one native species of the genus—
is known by having its fructification extended longitudinally
on the pinnæ, so as to form a linear or continuous sorus on
each side the midvein, and about midway between it and
the margin. The only other British Eern which has its
fructification in extended lines lying parallel with the midrib,
is the Pteris, or Bracken, in which, however, the sorus
is on the margin, and not within the margin and near the
midvein, as in Blechnum. The Blechnum may, however,
be at once known from the Pteris, by the division of its
fronds, which are merely pinnate, while those of Pteris are
decompound.
The name Blechnum is an adaptation of the Greek blech-
non, which signifies, a Eern. There is but one native
species, B. Spicant-, and we take the opportunity to state
l;'j fi t '.'■i
•11.;
f ii
li.