377 



ON THE BOTANY OF MALIIAM. 



By L. C. Miall, Esq. 



Part III. 



FiLICES. 



In this Order I have for the most part followed Mr. Moore's Hand- 

 book of British Ferns, 3rd edition, 1857. A MS. list, obligingly furnished 

 me by Mr. T. Stansfield, of Todmorden, for the West-Riding Flora, is 

 frequently referred to. Several varieties and sub-varieties are given in 

 this catalogue which I do not regard as either important or permanent. 

 In the present unsettled state of British Pteridology it seems best to 

 record everything, and leave to subsequent consideration the determina- 

 tion and definition of species. We must remember that the value of a 

 character, whether in ferns or other groups of natural objects, is often 

 quite independent of physiological importance, and depends primarily 

 upon its permanence and constant association with other marks. 

 PGlypodiiini Dryopteris, L. [Ctenopteris, Newm.) Woods around Malham I 



Widely distributed over the Yorkshire hills. 54. 

 P. Bohertianum, Hoffm. (P. calcareum, Sm., Gymnocarpium, Newm.) 

 Above Malham Cove ! Gordale ! Scar above Malham Tarn, Dr. 

 Windsor. This last habitat implies a height of at least 400 yards. 

 Not uncommon on rocks and walls throughout the whole limestone 

 district of Craven. 15. 

 Pohjstichum Lonchitis, Roth. [Polypodium, L., Aspidlum, Sni.) In several 

 long known stations at a height of more than 1500 feet, but judi- 

 ciously concealed to prevent extirpation. Perhaps no fern is more 

 eagerly sought by collectors, and few seem to be less thoroughly 

 known by them. I believe that for every plant of P. Lonchitis ever 

 found on the Craven hills, a dozen are so labelled in herbaria. Many 

 of these were shown or sent to me while preparing tbe Flora of the 

 West-Riding, and proved to be immature forms of P. aculeatum, 

 (sometimes of P. angulare.) I understand that such plants have been 

 sold by the guides of North Wales for the true Lonchitis. Of late 

 years large numbers of plants were distributed from a supposed new 

 Yorkshire station for this fern, and, for all I know, they are still 

 highly esteemed. I have seen some of these, and every one belonged 

 to the lobatum form of P. aculeatum. 14. 



