Northern New England, west and northwest on shaded limestone rocks.

[Illustration: Maidenhair Spleenwort. _Asplenium Trichomanes_]

(4) MAIDENHAIR SPLEENWORT. _Asplenium Trichómanes_

Stipes densely tufted, purple-brown, shining. Fronds three to eight inches
long, linear, dark green, rather rigid. Pinnæ roundish-oblong or oval,
entire or finely crenate, attached at the base by a narrow point. Midveins
forking and evanescent.

Not very common, but distributed almost throughout North America. May be
looked for wherever there are ledges, as it does not require limestone.
July.

[Illustration: Maidenhair Spleenwort. _Asplenium Trichomanes_ (From
Woolson's "Ferns," Doubleday, Page & Co.)]

(5) SMALL SPLEENWORT

_Asplenium párvulum. A. resíliens_

Fronds four to ten inches tall, narrowly linear, rather firm, erect. Pinnæ
opposite, oblong, entire or finely crenate, and auricled at the base.
Stipes and rachis black and shining. Midveins continuous.

This small fern is a southern species half way between the maidenhair and
ebony spleenworts, but rather more like the latter from which it differs in
being smaller and thicker, and in having the fertile and sterile fronds of