Waies 



Scotland 

 Ireland. 



MAIDENHAIR. 



Adiantum Capillus -Veneris of Authors. 

 Adiantum fontanum, — Gray. 



LOCALITIES. 



, . In Cornwall, on dripping rocks near St. Ives ; in a small cave on the east side of 



Carrack Gladden, a cove between St. Ives and Hay le ; and at the Lizard. In 



Devonshire, near llfracombe. 

 . In Glamorganshire, on rocks near Dunraven ; at Port King ; and on Barry Island; it 



occurs in many places along the coast between these localities. 

 . Unknown. 

 . South Isles of Arran; Cahir Couree Mountains, near Tralee; at the foot of a rock 



facing south-west on the banks of Lough Bulard, near Urrisbeg, Cunnemara. 



Adiantum Capillus -Veneris, the true Maidenhair, the only 

 species of the genus that has been found in Britain, is one of the 

 rarest and most beautiful of our ferns. It is always found in 

 moist caves, or on rocks near the sea-coast, where it roots firmly 

 in the crevices of the stones, preferring a perpendicular surface, 

 whence its delicate fronds grow in a nearly horizontal direction, 

 inclining upwards at the extremity: its pinnule vary in size, 

 from that of those on the specimen sketched in the above figure 

 to that of the detached pinnula on the left. 



The roots are wiry, black, and fibrous, the rhizoma black and 

 scaly, and creeping though very slowly : the yoimg fronds make 

 their appearance in May, are fully developed in July, and 

 remain green till the winter : the future divisions of the frond are 

 not apparent on its first expanding ; three or five pinnae only 

 appear, and these in a few days become divided into pinnulae. 



Although the form of the frond has been repeatedly described 

 by botanists in precise terms, it must be considered irregular ; 



