58 



BRITISH FERNS. 



BROAD FERN. 



Lastr^a dilatata. — Presl. 



Aspidium dilatatum^ spinulosum, and dumetorum. — Smith. 

 Aspidium dilatatum and spinulosum, — Galpine, Gray, Francis. 

 Aspidium spinulosum and dumetorum. — Hooker, Mackay. 

 Polypodium cristatum. — Hudson, Bolton, Liglitfoot, Withering, 

 Berkenhout. 



LOCALITIES. 



England. 

 "Wales. 

 Scotland 

 Irelan 



ND. i 

 D. j 



Universally distributed. 



An error appears to have crept into 

 our works as regards this ubiquitous 

 species. Hooker and Mackay have as- 

 signed to it the name spimdosa, and Smith, 

 Galpine, and others, have restricted the 

 same name to one of its varieties. Now 

 I must express my conviction that the 

 spinulosa of the continent, as described 

 by Willdenow, Swartz, Sadler, Schkuhr, 



i«.w-^^^. -V4 - &c., and as figured by the latter author, 



1^ C^(W d^/^^^'^'^^^^^'" ^^ ^^^ ^^^ normal dilatata of this country, 

 ^fli^^^T^/^^^^'^k neither is it that linear, erect form of 



dilatata figured in the margin, and to 

 which the name has usually been applied ; 

 but is a perfectly distinct species, and one 

 which may at once be distinguished from 

 any form of dilatata by the indusium, 

 which, in spinulosa, is covered with glan- 

 dulose spines or bristles, while in dilatata 

 it is perfectly smooth. 



Lastraea spinulosa is so abundant on 

 the continent of Europe, that it is per- 

 fectly reasonable to expect to find it here ; but we must not 



