A LOCAL, indigenous, interesting Fern, having a somewhat
similar aiqiearance to the Black Sijleenwort, yet being strikingly
distinct from that sjiecies. It is easily cultivated iu a floivcr-
pau, making a handsome specimen. Care should he taken to
use abundance of drainage, as it succeeds best when jilaced in
a saucer of Avatcr, instead of watering the surface soil. Over
watering both this sjiecies and Asplemum adiantum-nigrmn,
will prove certain destruction to both plants.
An evergreen half-hardy species.
A native of Great Britain, being found mostly by the seaside.
Habitat rocks and old walls. A local species, native of
Cornwall, Devonshire, Somersetshire, Gloucestershire, I l ’ales,
Cork, and the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey, and Sark.
Abroad, it is found in Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Fon-
tainbleau, Brittany, Tangicrs, hladeira, Azores, Hungary,
Bohemia, and South America.
Mr. Moore, in the “ Nature-printed Ferns,” describes four
varieties, viz:—
Multifidum, IVollaston; Proliferum, Wollaston; Crispatum,
Moore; Laciniatum, M’ollaston.
Fronds bipinnate; pinnæ broadest at the base, narrowing to
a point at the apex. Form of frond lanceolate, glabrous, pinnules
obovate, and being deeply and sharply toothed. Stipes
usually one third of the length of the frond, scaly at the base;
terminal, adherent to a tufted rhizoma. Caudex short and
thick; fibres stout, branched, and tomentose.
Length of frond from three to eighteen inches; colour rich
dark green.
Fructification covering the whole under surface; sori oblong,
becoming confluent in irregular masses.
For plants of A . lanceolatum I am indebted to Mrs. Delves,
of Tunbridge Wells; Mr. E. T. Millett, of Penzance; and to Mr.
James, of Vauvcrt, Guernsey; and for fronds, to Mr. Gray, of
St. Thomas’, Fxeter.
It is in the Fern Catalogues of Jlcssrs. Veitch, of Chelsea;
Kollisson, of Tooting; Sim, of Foot’s Cray; Osborn, of Fulham;
Kennedy, of Co vent Garden; Booth, of Hamburg; Parker, of
Holloway; A. Henderson, of Pine-apple Place; F. G. Henderson,
of St. John’s “Wood; and F . Cooling, of Derby.
Ih e illustration is from a plant in my own collection.