

OAK FERN, OR Wood Fern. 



PoLYPODiuM Dryopteris of Authoi's^ 

 Polypodium p2ilchellum. — Gray. 



LOCALITIES. 



England . . Northumberland, Cumberland, Westmoreland, Durham, Lancashire, sparingly ; York- 

 shire, at Arncliffe* and Richmond *; Cheshire ; Shropshire, on the Titterstone 

 Clee Hill; Herefordshire, on the north side of Shobdon Wood Hill; Derbyshire, 

 at Matlock*, Buxton*, Dovedale*, &c. in profusion , Wiltshire, at Box Quarries* ; 

 Somersetshire, Cheddar Cliff*; Devonshire; Monmouthshire, near Tintein Abbey. 



Wales , . . Anglesea, near Beaumaris ; Caernarvonshire, Bangor, Rhaiadr-y-Wenol, Pass of Llan- 

 berris, Cwmldwel, Snowdon, &c. &c. ; Denbighshire, at Llangollen ; Flintshire; Me- 

 rionethshire, near Plinlymmon; Radnorshire, at Water- Break-its- Neck, and Craig- 

 PwU-du ; Brecknockshire, at Brecon; Cardiganshire, at the Devil's Bridge and 

 Ponterwyd ; Glamorganshire, near Merthyr Tydfil. 



Scotland .. Argyleshire, Perthshire, Dumfrieshire, Lanarkshire, in abundance; remarkably 

 luxuriant at Loch Katrine, near Tannuilt, near Callender, and at Corra Lynn. 



Ireland . . . County Antrim, a single plant on Knock! ay d. 



Polypodium Dryopteris is one of our most elegant and 

 delicate ferns ; it is almost entirely confined to wild and moun- 

 tainous districts, and shuns the vicinity of human abodes ; it 

 prefers places overshaded by rocks or by thick foliage. The 

 roots are black and fibrous ; the rhizoma black, wiry, and creep- 

 ing; in some situations, forming a dense mass like net-work. 

 The young fronds make their appearance in March and April, 

 each resembling three little balls on wires ; these gradually 

 unfold, and display the triple division. The fronds arrive at 



The plant called calcareum grows in these localities. 



