ON A COLLECTION OF FEKNS MABE IN 3AM0A. 9 



With this preforonce for observations on the shore, it is not strange 

 that he regarded Mrs. Griffiths as a better algologist than Harvey, or 

 that he urged his friends to go to some locality on the coast in autumn 

 or winter and study thoroughly what grew there, rather than make a 

 short excursion in midsummer, when Algae are not numerous or in good 

 condition, andmount alargenumberof specimens, to be soaked out in fresh 

 water for winter study. Lamouroux, Bory, Chauvin, Montague, and 

 others had advanced algological science in France as far as was pos- 

 sible by the study of herbarium specimens alone. Thuret, with his 

 followers, Bornet, Lejolis, Derbes, Solier, and we miglit, perhaps, 

 with propriety add the Crouan brothers, by taking their microscopes 

 to the shore have placed France at the head of the list as far as an 

 accurate knowledge of marine Algai is concerned.* 



W. G. Faelow. 



ON A COLLECTION OF FERNS MADE IN SAMOA BY THE 



EEV. S. J. WHITMEE. 



By J. G. Baker, F.L.S. 



The Rev. S. J. WniTMEE, of the London Missionary Society, has 

 lately sent home from Samoa a large collection of Ferns and other 

 plants. As the Ferns include not only several novelties, but also 

 several interesting extensions of range, I proceed to give here an 

 account of the series. A specimen of each has been laid into the Kew 

 Herbarium, and it is intended that the rest should be made up into 

 sets and distributed. The numbers first given are those under which 

 the plants are sent by Mr. Wliitince, and tlie second number with a 

 star within brackets before the name of the novelties indicates the 

 position of the plant in the arrangement followed in our Synopsis. 



1. Gleichenia oceanica, Kuhn. Doubtfully distinct from G. Jlagel- 



laris, Spreng. 



2. dichotoma, Willd. 

 4, 93. Cyatheapropinqua, Mett. 



(51*). samoensis. Baker, n. sp. Frond ample, tripinnate. 



Rachises castaneous, those of the pinnaa matted with brown 

 tomentum. Pinna) oblong-lanceolate, 1-1^ foot long, 5-6 inches 

 broad at the middle. Pinnules sessile, ligulate, caudate, the 

 largest 2^-3 inches long by -J-| inch broad, cut down to the 

 rachis into close, blunt, deeply crenate, tertiary segments ^ inch 

 broad. Texture coriaceous ; both surfaces slightly furfuraceous. 

 Veins 8-9-jugate, indistinct, the lower forked low down. Sori 

 crowded, costular, absent only from the tips of the segments. In- 

 volucre large, brown, persistent, breaking up irregularly. Sent by 

 Mr. Whitmee without a number, mixed with Alsophila truncata. 



6. Alsophila truncata. Brack. 



11. Hymenophyllum emarginatum, Sw. 



10. var. microchlamys, Baker. A torm with invo- 



lucral- valves scarcely broader than the tips of the segments. 



* The writer is indebted for several dates in the life of Thuret to an article in 

 the *' Botanische Zcitung," written by Dr. Joseph Rostalinski. 



