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G R E EN SPL E ENW ORT .
A s p l e n iu m V i r i d e of Authors.
Asplenium Trichomanes, (5 rcmosum,—Linneus.
L O C A L IT IE S .
E n g la n d . . Northumberland, Whitmitly; Yorkshire, Ais-la-beck, near Richmond, between
Widdy Bank and Caldron Snout, Teesdale, Gordale in Craven, Ingleborough,
Ogden Kirk near H a lifax ; Cumberland, plentiful on some rocks on the river
Irthing, above Gilsland; Durham.
W a l e s . . . . Caernarvonshire, on Snowdon and all the Snowdon range, but in the fissure called
Twll Du, and a t the base of the fissure where it opens into Cwm Idwel, in the
greatest profusion; Merionethshire, on Cader Idris ; Brecknockshire, on Brecon
Beacon; Glamorganshire, at the Lady’s Waterfall, by Neath, and on rocks within
a few miles of the same locality.
Scotland . . On most of the loftier mountains, particularly those of the Western Highlands.
I r e l a n d . . County Sligo, on Ben Bulben.
L in n e u s considered this fern a variety of the following, and
assigned to it the name ramosum, in reference to a double
frond similar to one represented in the figure above, a character
which he justly considered as indicating only a variety; still
this plant possesses characters peculiar to itself, and I quite agree
with those authors who give the two plants as specifically distinct.
I t grows on rocks in lofty mountain regions, and is
usually intermixed with the almost ubiquitous Asplenium
Trichomanes ; iu England, its geographical range is very limited,
being confined to the extreme northern counties, and in Ireland,
I believe, to a single momitain, Ben Bulben ; but here, Mr.
Moore informs me, it is abundant.
The root is fibrous, black, and rather tender ; the rhizoma
black, scaly, and tufted ; the fronds appear in May and June,
arrive at maturity in August, and remain green through the
winter: they are fertile only.
The rachis is naked for about a third of its length : half the
naked portion is black or purplish ; the remainder to the apex
of the frond, and all the pinnæ, are of a bright vivid green :
the form of the frond is narrow, elongate, linear, and simply
pinnate ; the pinnæ are not so numerous as in A. Trichomanes ;
they are somewhat quadrate, but without angles, and more or
less crenate at the margin : they are mostly placed alternately
on the rachis, are usually very distinct, and separate, hut sometimes
crowded ; they are attached to the rachis by their stalks
only.
The lateral veins are either simple or forked ; they bear an
elongate linear mass of thecæ, almost immediately on leaving the
midvein ; and, if forked, the division takes place beyond the mass
of thecæ ; this is the most decided specific character possessed by the
plant: the veins do not reach the margin of the pinna; the
thecæ are at first covered by a linear, elongate indusium ; this
soon disappears, and they become confinent in a ferruginous
mass, occupying the centre of the pinna, and concealing the
midvein : the masses at first are four or six in number.