THE SMOOTH HOCK SPLEENWORT,
ASPLENIUM FONTANUM.
A. dwarf ; fronds narrow or linear-lanceolate broadest upwards,
rigid, glabrous, bipinnate ; pinnæ oblong-ovate ; pinnules small,
obovate-ouneate, witb a few large angular pointed teetb ; racbis
narrowly winged througbout ; sori sbort, oblong. [Plate LXVII.]
A s p l e n iu m f o n t a n u m , Bernhardi, Schrad. neues Journ. Bot. 1806, i., p a rt 2,
26. Smith, Eng. FI. 2 ed. iv. 299. Hooker & Arnott, Brit. FI. 1 ed. 589.
Deakin, Florigr. Brit. iv. 62, in note. Moore, Handb. Brit. Ferns, 3 ed.
162 ; Id ., Ferns o f Gt. Brit. Nature-Printed, t. 35 A . Bentham, Handh.
Brit. FI. 632. Sowerby, Ferns o f Gt. Brit. 45, t. 26, {had). Brown, Prod.
FI. Nov. Holl. 150, in obs. Sprengel, Syst. Veg. iv. 86. Sadler, Fil. Hrnig.
26. L in k , Fil. Sp. 95. Mettenius, Fil. Hort. Bot. Lips. 77 ; Id ., Asplen.
140. Lowe, Nat. Hist. Ferns, v. t. 21 B.
A s p l e n i u m H a l l e r i , Sprengel, Syst. Veg. iv . 88. Sadler, Fil. Hung. 2 7 .
De Candolle, FI. Fi'anç. v . 2 4 0 . L in k , Fil. Sp. 9 5 . Koch, Syn. 2 e d .
982. Ledebour, FI. Ross. iv . 519. Nym a n , Syll. FI. Europ. 432.
P o ly p o d i u m f o n t a n u m , Linnceus, Sp. Plant. 1 5 5 0 . Smith, FI. Brit. 1 1 1 4 ,
Bolton, Fit. B rit. 38, t . 21. Poiret, Ene. Bot. v . 526.
P o l y p o d iu m a l p in u m , Lamarck, FI. Franç. 1 e d . 22.
A s p id iu m f o n t a n u m , Swartz, Schrad. Journ. Bot. 1 8 0 0 , ii. 4 0 ; Id ., Syn. Fil.
57. Willdenow, Sp. Plant, v. 272. Schkuhr, Krypt. Gew. 52, t. 63.
Smith, Eng. Bot. xxix., t. 2024.
A s p id iu m H a l l e r i , Willdenow, Sp. Plant, v . 2 7 4 . Poiret, Ene. Supp. iv . 5 1 8 .
A t h y r iu m f o n t a n u m , Roth, FI. Germ. i i i . 5 9 . Sadler, Adumb. Epiphyll.
Hung. 2 0 . De Candolle, FI. Franç. 3 ed. ii. 5 5 7 . Presl, Tent. Pterid.
9 8 . Bahington, Man. Brit. Bot. 4 ed. 4 2 5 . Gray, N a t. A rr. B rit. PI. ii.
1 0 . Fée, Gen. Fil. 1 8 6 .
A t h y r iu m H a l l e r i , Roth, FI. Germ. i i i . 6 0 . Presl, Tent. Pterid. 9 8 . Fée,
Gen. Fil. 1 8 6 . Mettenius, Fil. Hort. Bot. Lips. 77.
Caudex sbort, erect, tufted, somewhat scaly. Scales subulate, dark
brown, semi-transparent, striately venose witb elongate parallel
areoles. Fibres slender, branched, tomentose.
Yernation oiroinate.
Stipes sbort, slender, dark purpbsb brown, and furnished witb a
few small deciduous scales at tbe base, becoming green upwards ;
terminal and adherent to tbe caudex. Rachis green, witb a narrow
elevated margin or wing througbout, tbe margin extending nearly to
the base of tbe stipes.
Fronds averaging four or five inches in height, but varying from
about three to ton or twelve inches, rigid, dark green, smooth, erect
or spreading, narrow-lanceolate, broadest above tbe middle, bipin-
nate. Finnæ oblong-ovate, spreading; the lower ones smaller,
palmately tbree-lobed and more distant ; tbe uppermost ones oblong,
and more crowded. Pinnules roundish obovate, tapering to the
base, tbe lower ones distinctly stalked on tbe narrowly-winged
secondary rachides, tbe upper ones decurrent ; tbeir margins deeply
notched, witb from two or three to five or seven coarse, angular,
spinosely-mucronate teeth.
Venation of tbe principal pinnules consisting of a flexuous costa
or midrib, sending off alternate simple wins one of wbiob is directed
towards each tooth, and extends almost to its apex.
Fructification on tbe back of tbe frond, most copious upwards,
but extending nearly to tbe base. Sori small, short oblong, from
two to four on each pinnule, attached near tbe base of the veins on
tbeir anterior side, at first distinct, but often at length beooming
confluent and forming large shapeless masses over tbe centre of tbe
pinnules ; indusiate. Indusium sbort oblong, white, usually straight,
but sometimes a little curved behind, rounded entire and sometimes
slightly wavy on tbe anterior free margin. Spore-cases small,
roundish. Spores angular, rough.
Duration. Tbe caudex is perennial. Tbe fronds are persistent,
tbe plant being evergreen, and continuing in growth the whole
year, under favourable conditions.
This Fern is readily known among the British Aspleniem, by its
bipinnate fronds, taken in conjunction witb tbeir small stature, and
the minuteness of their parts, six inches in length for tbe frond, and
half an inch for tbe pinnæ being ratber above tbe average growth.
Apart from this discrepancy in size, it very much resembles tbe
small bipinnate states of Asplenium lanceolatum, tbe structure of its
parts being nearly identical, but in tbe latter tbe lower pinnæ do
not diminish in so marked a degree.
Eotb when establishing his genus Athyrium, included tbe present
II*