294 



which were numeroas, was about 6^ feet — many were 6f 

 feet. Thus this " flower-crowned Prince of British Ferns " 

 in height and diameter equalled about 9^ feet — hence pro- 

 bably its immunity from disturbance. I doubt not there 

 are finer specimens, but this plant, by virtue of its elevation 

 on an oozy bank, one has — apart from its dimensions — to 

 look up to it, and thus its regality is considerably enhanced. 

 I remember many years ago coming across two of these 

 majestic Ferns at Keswick, one on either side a cottage 

 door — and the remembrance is still clear and well-defined. 

 At one time this Fern grew on Hampstead Heath, as wit- 

 ness *' Gerarde's Herbal " of 1597. 



He says: — "It groweth in the midst of a bog, at the 

 further end of Hampstead Heath from London, at the 

 bottom of a hill adjoyning to a small cottage, and in divers 

 other places." We have to content ourselves with 

 " divers other places," and, forsooth, to go to Ireland to see 

 it in its greatest luxuriance. 



Only recently Mr. Phillips, of Belfast, sent me spores of 

 a variety of this, which have been duly consigned to mother 

 earth ; but as this is a slow-growing Fern some time must 

 elapse before success can be chronicled by 



C. B. Green. 



POLYSTICHUM ANGULARE 

 PLUMOSISSIMUM. 



The great varietal possibilities of the species polystichum 

 are really marvellous. If we take one section — the plumo- 

 sums — and compare the best known of the divisilobums, 

 decompositums and stipulate forms with the normal 

 wildlings, the difference in favour of the former can truly 

 be described as wonderful. What shall we say, then, of 

 that erstwhile peerless plumosissimum raised by Messrs. 

 Birkenhead, of Sale, some years ago, and which is figured 

 in the " Book of British Ferns," on page 76 ? The frond 



