248 



CYSTOPTERIS SEMPERVIRENS 

 (PROLIFEROUS). 



I have received from Dr. Stansfield a portion of a frond 

 of this species from Mr. H. Stansfield's Nursery at Sale, 

 near Manchester, on which a large number of young 

 plants with nearly inch-long fronds have been developed 

 from dorsal bulbils amid the spore heaps. Although 

 similar dorsal bulbils are produced in conjunction with the 

 sori on several abnormal varieties of British Ferns — viz. 

 the plumose Athyria, P. vnlgave degantissimum and Adiantum 

 capillns veneris var. wibvicaUim — this appears to be the first 

 instance of their appearance in a normal British species. 

 C. sempevvivcns was found many years ago in both Kent and 

 Devon, but was assumed to be an introduction from 

 Madeira. A full description, however, of a more recent 

 find in Scotland is given in No. 4, pages 79 to 80, of the 

 ** British Fern Gazette," which establishes its indigenous 

 character, and the question now is whether it should not be 

 recorded as a distinct native species rather than a mere 

 variety of C. fvagilis. C. T. D. 



NEW FERN. 



The Rev. E. H. Hawkins, of Stroud, has kindly sent 

 me a plant of a very fine P. angidave cvistatum found by 

 himself five or six years ago at Finure, co. Cork. It is a 

 perfectly constant and symmetrical form, of full size, 

 neatly crested both terminally and laterally. The pinnules 

 are set with fine teeth, giving a suggestion of the percris- 

 tatum character, but are not crested. On a well-developed 

 frond the lateral crests are so heavy as to give an elegant 

 pendulous character to the pinnae. The plant is sparingly 

 bulbiferous and abundantly fertile. As a cristatum pure 

 and simple, it is, I think, at least equal to the very best 

 previously found, and I am not sure that it has an equal in 

 thoroughness, grace and symmetry. F. W. Stansfielp. 



Reading, September 2nd, 191 1. 



