THE MALE FERN. 



consists in it* bearing bulbils, generally on the external efdo of the stipe*, near it* junction with the 

 tufted caudox Probably in old plants the viviparous character will be more abundantly developed. 



5, dicficloma <\V.). This in amultifid variation of the normal /Wur*in^ exactly corrca]M>ndiiig in its 

 peculiarities with the variety mnUifida, already noticed, in having the apex of the frond and of all or 

 the greater part of the pinna* two-cleft or many-cleft, the pinnre occasionally depauperated. It is only 

 sub-pcrmancnt. It differ from multifuUt, Ac, in the absence of the golden scaler and the other marks 

 of the pafoac&t group* 



0. meisa (JL). Aa already explained, this is a larger plant than the normal form, of which it is 

 probably the full development. It is distinctly bipinnato; the pinnules elongate, narrowed upward* 

 and usually bearing son nearly their whole length. It is a common and very ornamental plant, with 

 an erect stately habit A very large ami handsome form of this variety, with the pinnules more 

 distant, narrow, and elongate than usual, as well as somewhat falcate, has been gathered in the Isle of 

 Wight, by Mr. A, G. Mora and the Rev. W. H. Hawker. 



7. wa (W.). This, which is doubtless the Aspldinm <k/,as(*wi of Schkuhr, is distinguished by the 

 irregularly laciniato form of the pinnae and pinnules, giving the appearance of having boon nibbled by 

 insects. It is occasionally multifid at the apices of the frond and pinme, but not uniformly so. It is 

 fertile and sub-pennanenfc 



8- dmrsQ-lobata (M.>. A huge growing variation of the inci$a group. The pinnules are oblong 

 and obtuse, the basal ones with a narrow attachment ; the margins of the basal ones are more or less 

 inciso-lobate, with the lobes serrated, and the lower posterior one much enlarged and forming a 

 kind of auricle directed towards the main rnchis, which is the chief peculiarity of the variety, and 

 occurs in various lesser degrees in most of the common states of this type. The rest of the pinnules 

 are more or less iucUo-scrrate. This is tho variety "spinwnm" of the earlier editions of Mr. Francis's 

 Analysis of British Fern* (under Aspidium), but is not at all spinosc. It appears to bo common, and 

 to bo in fact one of the two larger forms into which tho species is commonly developed, the 

 characteristics of the two being sometimes united in one plant. The Rev. W. A, Leighton appeal's to 

 have lirst noticed the peculiar lobing ; his specimens gathered twenty years since arc from liomere and 

 Sutton in Shropshire, and from Anglcsea* We have also sccu specimens from liallyvaughan in Ireland, 

 Callender in Scotland, Bedale in Yorkshire, Black Park in Bucks, Maidstone and Cobham in Kent, 

 Albitry in Surrey, Kpphig in Easex, Lynn in Norfolk ; as well as froni Jersey and Guernsey. 



9. producta (M.). This is a very striking variety, somewhat analogous to incisa, being like it a 

 large growing plant, with fronds at least three feet long aud ten inches broad, and also resembling it 

 in the divided condition of the pinnules, which are however much more deeply divided. The frond is 

 lanceolate ; the lowest pair of pinna? two inches and a half long, triangular acumiuate ; the next are 

 more than four inches long triangular elongate, being nearly two inches across the base, gradually 

 tailoring to a sharp elongated point ; those in the up]HT part of the frond, though narrower at the 

 base, are also triangular elongate, the base being broadest, though in the uppermost the sides become 

 more nearly jiarallcL Tho pinnules throughout are elongated, deeply pinnatilld, and narrow upwards 

 to the apex, their outline being that of a narrow cone or pyramid ; this, together with the deep and 

 conspicuous lobing gives to the plant a very distinct appearance* The Iwisnl pinnules, which arc 

 cut down more than half way to the midrib, have an attachment so narrow as to resemble a mere 

 winged petiole ; the vest, half way up tho pinnae, though adnatc are attached by loss than their whole 

 width. The lobes of the pinnules are obscurely serrated at the end. The sori are confined to the upper 

 third of the frond ; and on the only frond we have seen have a manifest tendency to occupy rather the 

 central than the banal portion of the pinnules: that is, they are distant from the baeo on those pinnules 

 which occupy the lower half of the fertile piiimi*. This variety was found by the Kov. \V- A, Leighton, 

 at Wrckin, in Shropshire. 



10. tTttintfidttritt (M.). This form belongs to the meisa group, but has something of the asjiect of 





44 



