THE LADY PERN. 



frond is divided into a short tame). It was found near Ilfmcombe, by the R ov . J. M. Chanter ; and is, 

 wo leani, constant 



29. tmdlifidum (M.); cr&feftmi (W.). This is tho most beautifully syinmctrical-yct monstrou*- 

 aod graceful permanent variety which ha* yet been found, equally beautiful and exactly analogous with 

 the variety crutaKt of the Male Fern. It« habit corresponds exactly with the usual form of tho plant ; 

 but it differs in having tho apices of tho frond, pinna-, and (in well-grown plants) the pinnules most 

 exquisitely tassclled or divided into a lash of branches. The tips of the pinn* are in fact many times 

 dichotomous, with the apices dilated and incised. It belongs to tho rlwticum group. Mr. Wollaeton 

 suggests, with a view to uniformity in the names of corresponding varieties, that this ought to be called 

 cristatum on account of its similarity to tho crested fonu of the Male Fern ; but it seems impossible, 

 without continually changing tho names in use, to arrive with exactness at this uniformity, so that 

 Fern-cultivators should adopt the rule which botanists have established on this point, and avoid mere 

 changes. Our plate of this variety necessarily represents a small specimen ; when largo and at the same 

 time well grown, it is far handsomer. This form was found near the Seven Churches, in Wicklow. 

 Ireland, by Mr. D. Moore, in eompany with Mr. Newman ; and it or similar forms have also been 

 reported to have been found in Clare, by Dr. Kinnhan, and in Killarney, by Mr. Ogilby. 



30. depauperatum <W.> ; mmosum (M.). A remarkable monstrosity wluch. although it somewhat 

 resembles the Inst, differs from it essentially iu its being of unsymmctrical development. Tho apex of the 

 frond is much more deeply lacerated or split up into numerous corymbiform tassels. Tho pinme am 

 also tassctlcd, depauperated, laciniatcd, and irregular, and the pinnules very irregular, bluntly toothed, 

 and frequently altogether wanting. The sori are frequently atortive. It is an exceedingly rare variety] 

 and was found, it appears, many yean since, by Mr. J. Gunning (at that time foreman in the Dublin College 

 Botanic Garden), near Bon Bulben in Sligo, Ireland Cultivators owo its distribution to Dr. Mackay. 



31. crispum (M.) ; Smith,! (Hort). This singular variety has more tho appearance of a tuft of fine 

 curled parsley than of a Fern. It is of slender and dwarfish habit, and the fronds are ramified in 

 every possible way, the rachis being divided very irregularly, and each apex densely tufted. The pinme 

 and pinnules are very asymmetrically laciniatcd, and frequently wanting for a long portion of the 

 8tipe& The fructification is generally abortive, as in the last, but, as in that, not always so. It was 

 originally found by Mr. A. Smith "on tho Hill Orah," Antrim, Ireland ; subsequently in Corymnlzie 

 Lynn, Braemnr, Scotland, by Sir W. C. Trcvelyan ; and recently at Todmorden. Lancashire, by 

 Mr. J. Huddart 



To this species, and possibly to tho variety r/«vticum, belongs a plant - gathered on y mountains of 

 Moume, in y" county of Down," by Shcrnrd. and now preserved in the University Herbarium, Oxford. 

 It is the Asptminm AdtarUum^umfi of Sir J. E. Smith, and is referred to Asplonium acutum by 

 Mr. Newman ! Sir J. E. Smith correctly describes it as of a delicate membranous texture, the leaflets 

 finely laciniate and without fructification. We are indebted to Mr. M. T. Masters, sub-curator of tho 

 Fielding Herbarium, for a photograph of Sherard's plant, which leaves no mom for doubt that it is 

 an Athyrium. It is assuredly not at all like Asplmium Adiantum-nigrum, or Asptcnium acutum. 

 The frond is about a foot long, linear-lanceolate, bipinuatc, with narrow oblong pinme, of which it 

 would nppcar that the veins are more perfectly developed than tho parenchyma, hence the appearance 

 of l>cing palmately laciniate. It is just such a state as might be expected to be produced in a dark 

 cave, in which this is said to have grown. 



In addition to the forms above enumerated, many other curious ones have been met with both in 

 the normal and monstrous state ; wo may especially refer to the ' gatherings ' of Dr. Allchin. in tho 

 Islo of Man; of the Bcv. J. M. Chanter, in Devonshire; of Mr. Wollaston, in the Lnko District; 

 and of Mr. Olapham, in Yorkshire. These, however, have been too recently obtained to admit of 







