THE COMMON HAttT'S-TOXGUE FERN. 



the shape of a crab's-claw, having the external margin smooth, and the internal crenate or dentate. 

 Tt was found at Chislchurst, Kent, by Mr, Wollaston, in 1854. 



60. rigidum (W.)- I" this variety the apex of the frond in multitid a* in crisbttum (57), the lower portion 

 bring normal The fronds are borne either on a single or ramose stipes, and this stipes so rigid or why, 

 that it is quite a remarkable feature in the plant. It has a slight tendency, also, to be supra-lincatc. 

 Mr. Wollaston found it in Sussex in 1854. 



01- Utceratum (SI*), This is, perhaps, the most remarkable variety yet known; instead of being 

 -simply strap-shaped, the fronds may be not inaptly called sub-pinnatilid. u It is short and 

 broad, sub-deltoid, the margin deeply inciso-lobato, tho lobes large, crowded, and inuUilid cris]>ed at 

 their apex ; or sometimes strap-shaped, the margin inciso-lobatc, with the lobes narrow, elongate, and 

 tapering tea point; the apex gitb-inuUifid; the base sometimes hastate/' It was first found at Taunton, 

 Somersetshire, by Mr J* Young, who has raised from it many seedlings, bearing more or less the charac- 

 ters of the original. One very similar form has lately been found in Yorkshire, by ill 1 . Clapham, of 

 Scarborough. It is now a common garden variety, and is sometimes known uuder the names of 

 palmutum, scrralum r and tmdmwfolium* 



02. glomeratum (M.). There is no plane or strap-shaped ]>ortion to the frond of this variety, but it 

 divides over and over again in so dense a manner, that a frond of about three inches high forms almost 

 a perfectly globular mass. It was found in Jersey by 31, Picquet and was sent to us by Mr. Jackson. 



63. rarnomm (\Villd-). Tins, with the variety digitntnm (G5) and tft&mcrutum (02), are the most ramose 

 of all the forms of Scotopendrium, It is ramified at the apex, at least two hundred fold, in some instances* 

 Knch frond consists in a multiplication of at! its parts, the stipes starting singly from the caudex, 

 ramifying as the limbs of a tree, and each branch bearing a densely and multifidly crisped frond and 

 frondlets almost ad infinitum* Its early history is not known, but is mentioned as long ago as 

 Plukcnct's time. Recently, good examples have been found by Mr. C. Jackson in Guernsey, and by the 

 Rev. J. M. Chanter in Devonshire. It is uniformly constant and reproduces itself by its spores. 



64. ramosttm majm (Clapham). This is quite unlike mmasum, being less multifid. Mr. Clapham says 

 that * the peculiarity it possesses is the great thickness of the stipes, which seems to be a combination 

 of two or three run into one, so that several fronds branch out from the summit of the stipes* The 

 fronds in their outlines and cutting vary much." "It originated in tho Camellia house of Mr. Clapham, 

 of Settle, Yorkshire, where it accidentally came up in the soil." It is quite constant. In specimens 

 sent by Mr, Clapham, two or three vigorous, almost normal fronds, grew on one stipes. 



65. digiUttum (W.). This variety resembles ramomm (63), except that its fronds arc flat, that is, all its 

 ramifications and divisions are in one plane, so that the fronds arc somewhat hand-shaped. The won- 

 derfully compound ramifications of this variety is shown below, only approximately, however, in the 

 fifth, sixth, and seventh series of divisions. It is by no means a common form. The frond from which 

 this table was drawn up, was grown by Mr. Wollaston, and with the living plant, is now in his possession. 



l*i perk*, 



^l&tSptUs. 



frd-wrfe*. . 



■ D 1 



tithicro, , 



. 891 TOot, 



ita* * . 



■lib. » . 



. 23^RKhid<* t 



7tk» » . 



* 2573 Apical vein*. 







fit*, w - 



. «■) 







(!(>. lacerum (Sim). This variety is a modification of the last, from which it was raised, but 

 is permanently unlike it. It has a tendency to be viviparous* The fronds are branched as in 

 digitatntn, but the leafy portions arc much depauperated, and frequently little else than the veins 

 remain, giving the appearance of a leaf lacerated or torn into shreds, with the irregularly-jagged 

 margins shrivelled. It was raised from spores by Mr. R, Sun, of Foot's Cray, Kent and is rare. 



I| 



