I03 



OUR FRONTISPIECE. 



We have chosen for our frontispiece for this issue an 

 illustration of a very choice selection of varieties of Lady 

 Ferns, to which the following descriptions apply. As 

 will be seen, they embrace practically ail the most 

 marked types, and give in a small space a capital idea 

 of the marvellous versatility of this species. The plate 

 also shows a few of the best varieties of our Native 

 Spleenworts, which, although belonging to a genus of 

 peculiar constancy, and rarely prone to vary very much 

 in its exotic species, has been fairly liberal in " sports " in 

 i:his country. We may mention that all the varieties 

 shown were either drawn direct from fronds provided or 

 from nature prints done by the late Col. Jones, of Clifton. 



The Spleenworts represented are : — 



Fig. 2. — A pinna only of a very beautiful and rare form 

 of Asplenium niarinum, Asp. in. pliimosum, bipinnate and 

 barren, since though spore heaps are apparent, they do 

 not mature, and appear only as stripes, covered with a 

 white indusium. 



Fig. 7. — Asp. mavimun capitatum, found in Yorkshire, 

 bearing a heavy terminal crest on an almost bare stalk, 

 the only really crested form of the species. 



Fig. 10. — Asp. adiantum nigrum gvandiceps, found in 

 Ireland and subsequently in North Devon, a very fine 

 form, as shown. 



Fig. 14. — Asp. ivichomanes incisum: This is the true 

 plumose form of the species, and has been found several 

 times. The best form is that shown, which was found 

 by Mr. Clapham. Always barren. The counterpart of 

 '' cainbricnjii" in P. vulgave. 



Figs. 16 and 17. — Asp. t. rauio-cvistatum and cvistatum. 

 Prettily crested forms, finds of which have been made on 

 several occasions. 



The Lady Ferns are : — 



Fig. I. — That extraordinary and unique fern, A, f.f. 

 VictovlcB, really a percristate cruciatwn, in which both the 



