292 BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 
have been found in Britain, and to avoid the more promi- 
nent inconveniences of the Edinburgh Catalogue. The 
Natural System is here employed in place of the alphabetical 
which in our mind, atleast, confirms those views, (see Brit. Fl. ed. 5, 
Tas. X. f. 10.) With regard to Mr. Brown's name of Trichomanes bre- 
visetum, we may here extract what is but just printed respecting it in the 
** Species Filicum," p. 126, where the author expresses his regret that 
he was under the necessity of occupying so much space in his attempt to 
unravel the difficulties which have always attended the synonomy of this 
plant, and respecting which Sir Jas. E. Smith (whose writings on the 
Ferns the reviewer, in the “ Phytologist,” treats with marked contempt), 
said, nearly thirty years ago, that “few plants of almost any country 
have caused more enquiry, or more diversity of opinion, than this Fern.” 
Unquestionably the T. speciosum of Willd. is the same species as our T. 
brevisetum, though a native of Teneriffe ; and, as such, the name has the 
right of priority over that of Mr. Brown: but after a most careful investi- 
gation of other specimens of Trichomanes, and especially the T. radicans of 
Swartz, from Jamaica, we must declare ourselves at issue with the re- 
viewer in question, who, notwithstanding that ** Mr. J. Smith had la- - 
belled a var. of the Irish T. speciosum, lately discovered by Mr. Andrews, a5 
T. radicans, Sw.;" nevertheless * thinks Mr. Newman has exercised à 
sound discretion in keeping the name of T, radicans quite out of view.” 
The author of the “ Species Filicum" has come to a different conclusion, 
and having satisfied himself of their identity, ventures to retain the name - 
of radicans, It might be supposed the reviewer was of the same mind 
when he says, (Phytol. p. 956), “it was held to be impossible that a 
tropical plant should exist in Ireland." He surely does not take Teneriffe 
and Madeira, the recorded habitats of T. speciosum, to be within the 
tropics. Let it be observed that Mr. Newman gives no authority for the 
genera Polystichum and Lastrea in his Synoptical Table of British Fern» — — 
p. 6, but he informs us (p. 8) that these “ have not been employed by any Y 
previous writer on the British Ferns.” "IAS ae 
One word on another remarkable passage of the reviewer, who pro" —— 
nounces Mr. J. Smith's Arrangement of the genera of Ferns as “ perhaps | 
the most profound and useful treatise ever presented to the Linnean So- 
ciety." Knowing, as the Editor of this Journal does, the character of 
Mr. J. Smith, and his love of truth, he hesitates not to say that such a0- X 
overstrained compliment will be far from gratifying to him. Of the merits I 
of his Memoir, the Editor entertains a very high opinion, and of his —— 
judgment in discriminating types of genera or sub-genera, and it has been er 
held a privilege to afford publicity to that very paper in the pages of this m 
work ; and further, to give figures of Mr, Smith's new genera (see “ Gene? — 
Filicum," passim) : but great as is his merit in the “ Arrangement," now 
