Ill 



an 



THE COMMON HARD FERN. 



create ; and in no instance arc the lobes of the fronds fully developed. They vary in width from one- 

 eighth to one-half of an inch, but are usually about a quarter of an inch wide, diminishing slightly 

 downwards, and rarely attaining a length of eight inches. The fertile fronds resemble the ban™ i 

 development, but aro still more curious, having occasionally only a few imperfect lobes about 

 eighth of an inch in length, and the rest of the sori borno on a narrow wing or membrane bordering 

 the mchis, the whole width being under one-eighth of an inch. They vary, however, from this to a 

 toiler development of rather more than half an inch wide, with mora frequent lobes, and with fronds 

 about eleven inches long. There are also produced fronds which aro intermediate between the barren 

 and fertile. It was found near Tunbridge Wells, Kent, in 1853, by Mr. Wollaston, and is at present a 

 unique and constant form. 



2. hctcrophyllum <W.). This form is probably the first step from the normal form towards the 

 variety Hrictum, bearing two sorts of fronds, cither separately or commingled. Some fronds are of the 

 usual character ; others have the segments more or less altered, becoming either narrowed and inciso- 

 dentate, or shortened to a semicircular outline, with the margin inciso-deutato ; and this in an unequal 

 and irregular manner, though frequently ]>ortions of the fronds, sometimes entire fronds, bear the 

 shortened segments, and aro consequently linear in outline. As in many other varieties of this 

 monstrous character, the plants, though not producing all tho fronds affected, always bear affected 

 fronds, and it is altogether a curious, constant, and rare variety. It was found in 1853, near Tunbridge 

 Wells, Kent, by Mr. Wollaston. 



3. Striatum (Francis). This variety, described by Mr. Francis, from Westmoreland fronds com- 

 municated by Miss Becvcr, has been found more recently by Dr. Allehin, in Ireland; and again, by 

 Mr. F. Clowes, near Bleak Holme, Windermere. The fronds are pinnatilid, the lobes being unsym- 

 metncally and bluntly toothed, wavy, laciniatc, dojuiunerate, and rarely bifurcate ; the lower lobes 

 resembling the upper valve of a small shell of tho genus Area. Tho fertile fronds aro unknown. It is 

 a permanent and gracoful form, and very rare. 



A. interruptum (W.). This combines tho peculiarities of several of tho varieties before enumerated, 

 awl is very variable in its growth, but differs from all in having some fronds ramose, others normal but 

 depauperated in part, and their apices bent down faleatoly. others of tho intermediate semi-fertilo 

 character, with tie lobes bifurcate, but all interrupted ; and where this change of the lobes occurs, 

 tho frond forms an irregular curvature, and throws out an abortive frond, or what will probably 

 provo to be a bulbil, resembling other proliferous forms. It was found near Tunbridge Wells, Kent, 

 by Mr. Wollaston, and is a permanent and unique variety. 



5. serratum (W.). This form may have been originally caused by great luxuriance of growth, 

 and excessive moisture, but it has proved constant more or less since 1853, when it was found by 

 Mr. Wollaston in a boggy ditch near Tunbridge Wells, Kent. The fertile fronds, nearly oval in outline, 

 aro about four and a half inches wide in the centre, and eighteen inches long ; their lobes are sharply 

 serrated, and ono or more of tho apical lobes start off nearly at a right angle, forming other small 

 fronds. The barren fronds aro deeply serrated and frequently bifurcate ; tho semi-fertilo fronds aro 

 normal, without scrratures. 



G. muUifidum (W.) is tho normal form, which occasionally (but neither uniformly nor symmetrically) 

 divides once or more at the apex. It is not constant under cultivation, but is of frequent occurrence, 

 in damp shady places. 



7. hifidum (W.) is a further development of miiUi/ulum, caused by excessive shade and moisture. 

 In this tho apex is more frequently multitid, and rather crisped ; awl the lobes, both of the fertilo and 

 barren fronds, aro sometimes affected, but not uniformly, in the same way. It is a sub-permanent form 

 and not uncommon. 



8. /mum (M.). The peculiarity of this form is, that the apex of the rachis is, as it were, split 

 down a few inches, both sides of tho resulting branches bearing lobes, but those on the inner sides 



"1 



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