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A S P L E N IU M feptentrionale.
Forked Spleenwort. .
CRYPTOGAMIA Filices.
Gen. Char. Frufiif. in fcattercd lines. Involucrum
originating laterally from a vein, and burfting inwardly.
Spec. Char. Frond-wing three-cleft ; fegments alternate,
linear, jagged at the points.
Syn. Afpleninm feptentrionale. Hull. 241.
Acroftichum feptentrionale. Linn. Sp. PI. 1524.
Hudf. 450. With. 764. Bolt. Fil. 12. t. 8.
Dick/. Dr. PI. 45.
Filix faxatilis Tragi. Rail Syn. 120.
A NATIVE of clefts of rocks in fome few mountainous
parts of this ifland, as North Wales; Ingleborough, York-
Ihire, and above Amblefide, Weftmoreland. At the Hermitage
a mile fouth of Edinburgh (a wild romantic fpot), and upon
Arthur’s feat which overlooks that town, we have feen it in
plenty, and it was obferved there by Thomas Willifel in the
days of Ray.
The roots are black, tufted and woody, throwing up innumerable
fronds, 3 or 4 inches high, ereft, rigid, fmooth, dark-
green ; taper at the bafe; upward a little dilated, and cloven
for the moil part into two lateral alternate lobes or leaflets,
with an intermediate terminal one, all linear, jagged at their
tips. Lines of fructification oblong, each at firft covered by a
membrane originating laterally from one of the veins or ribs,
and burfting toward the centre of the frond, never toward the
edge ; but thefe membranes are foon reflexed or obliterated, and
the brown clutters, of capfules entirely cover the back of the leaf,
which caufed Linnaeus to place it in the genus Acrojlichum. Mr.
Yalden has well obferved (Lightf. 656) that this fern and Aj'ple-
nium Rut a murar'ia, v . 3. t. 150, properly belong to one genus,
and Dr. Hull has firft rightly placed them fo. Corre& generic
principles, deduced from the involucrum, confirm the propriety
of this arrangement.