LADY FERN.
Athyrium filix-femin.a.—R otli, Presl.
Athyrium irriguum, and lcetum.—Gray.
Asplénium Filix-femina.—Bernhardi, Hooker, Mackay, Don,
Francis,
Aspidium Filix-femina and irriguum.—Smith.
Pohjpodium Filix-femina and rhæticum.—Linneus, Hudson,
Berkenhout.
Polypodium Filix-femina.—Lightfoot, Bolton, Withering.
E n g la n d .
W a l e s .
S co tland.
I r e l a n d .
L O C A L IT IE S .
Universally, but not equally distributed.
T h e name Lady Fern, long since given to this species, is
eminently expressive of its graceful appearance. The great Ray
applied the term femina to our common brakes, but I think that
Linneus has done well in transferring it to the present delicate
and lady-like species. I t is so fragile, that it droops instantly on
being gathered.
In opposition to the views of many eminent botanists, I feel
inclined to return the Lady Fern to the genus Athyrium of
Roth, which I think must also include the Allantodia australis of
Brown. But I doubt whether I can agree with Presl in placing
Asplénium Halleri, and A. fontanum in the same group.
Besides Allantodia australis of Brown, there are several ferns
possessing the same characters and habits as filix-femina, which
I would also include ; the genus may he known by the elongate
and somewhat sausage-shaped mass of thecæ, the attachment
of which describes a concave, instead of a direct line, as in the
Asplenia. A. australis differs from filix-femina in having the
free margin of the indusium more obviously incurved over the
mass of thecæ.
The root is black, fibrous, and wiry. The rhizoma is vertically
elongate, sometimes rising several inches above the surface of the
ground : in one instance I have seen it more than a foot in
height, thus evincing a
considerable proximity
to the Dicksoniæ, and
other tree-ferns. Mr.
Ball, of Dublin, called
my attention to a plant
in one of Mr. Ward’s
cases, in which this peculiarity
was very remarkable.
The fronds
appear in May; in vernation
they resemble
those of filix-mas, having
the apex bent downwards
after the fashion
of a shepherd’s crook.
The form of frond is
somewhat lanceolate : it
is pinnate ; the pinnæ
are linear, more or less
crowded, acute at the
apex, and regularly pinnate;
the pinnulæ are
distant, very distinct,
and either deeply serrated,
pinnatifid, or pinnate.
One-fourth of the
rachis is naked, hut has
numerous black scales.
The midvein of the
pinnulæ is waved ; the
lateral veins are forked
shortly after leaving the
midvein, and the anterior
branch of each
bears, about half-way
between the midvein
and margin, an elon-
somewhat reniform
mass of thecæ, which is partially covered by an indusium
ìli.