NOTES ON THE KTiTBI OF WAKWICKSHIRE. 99 



tribolate terminal pinna, with a pair of simple pinnas, one on either 

 side below it, and lower again another pair of irregular trilobate 

 pinnae. Thus the fifth year, as compared with the fourth, shows 

 the terminal trilobate pinnule has divided into three leaflets, 

 forming a pair of pinnae and another trilobate terminal one ; 

 whilst the fourth year's free pinna have become more developed, 

 and begin to show further signs of division into secondary pinnules, 

 approaching the normal bipinnate form. Some specimens show 

 this further division more distinctly than others. 



It is not until the sixth year that Osmunda regalis arrives at the 

 perfect normal form, and begins to bear spores, and I have here 

 one growing specimen, which I have carefully watched through all 

 these stages of development, until now in its sixth year it is pro- 

 ducing spore- spikes for the first time. 



It is not a matter of surprise to me that botanists collecting 

 this fern in its native bogs should not have noticed these phases 

 of growth, but I am surprised to find that all the gardeners 

 and fern-growers to whom I have mentioned the matter, and 

 shown the specimens, state that it is quite new to them. I may 

 say that no works to which I have had access contain any remarks 

 on the subject — neither Hofmeister's * Higher Cryptogamia,' Sachs' 

 ' Textbook,' Dr. Kny's ' Beitrage zur Entwickelungsgeschichte des 

 Vorkeimes von Osmunda regalis,'^^' nor Milde's 'Monographia generis 

 Osmundae, &c.' The drawings are made from the specimens ex- 

 hibited at the British Association meeting. 



Explanation of Plate 228. — 1. First year's gi-owth from prothallus. 1 a. 

 Frond. 1 h, same magnified to show venation. 2 a. Second year's plant, normal 

 form. 2 6. Abnormal form of a frond from another plant. 3 a. Third year's plant. 

 3 h. Third year's plant, a more robust form. 4. Fourth year's plant. 5 a. Cen- 

 tral and chief frond of 5th year's plant. 5 h. Secondary or side frond of same. 

 All natural size and complete growth, except 1 &, and 5 a, b, in which the stipes 

 should have about one inch added to the base. 



NOTES ON THE EUBI OF WAEWICKSHIRE. 



By James E. Bagnall. 



For twelve years past I have given special attention to the 

 Eubi of Warwickshire. During that period I have collected and 

 carefully examined specimens belonging to this group of plants 

 from nearly every part of the county. As it may interest some of 

 the readers of this Journal to know the result of my investigations, 

 I now give a list of the Eubi I have found, the distribution of each 

 subspecies or variety throughout the county (so far as my personal 

 experience allows me), and such notes on the plants as I think 

 may be of interest. The appearance in 1869 of Professor Babington's 

 valuable monograph of ' The British Eubi ' gave me my first 

 interest in this group ; and the constant study of this work, together 



* Pringsheim's ' Jahrbuch,' vol. viii., pp. 1 — 15, plates i. — iii. 



