248 ASPIDIUM. — LASTREA. 



bridge dean*. (R. I have gathered a specimen in the dean at 

 Linthaughlee ; and I have another from Ennis, Clare, Ireland.) A 

 specimen from the Pease-bridge is divided at the top into three lesser 

 fronds, all similar to the main frond in character. I have several 

 specimens of Asp. filix-mas with the frond divided into two; and one 

 specimen which is actually branched. In much-shaded situations, 

 many of our ferns are liable to such monstrosities. 



7. A. OREOPTERis = Lastrea oreopteris. In the deans and 

 natural woods of our elevated moors and mountain bums, frequent 

 and abundant. An elegant species. 



8. A. THELYPTERis = Lastrca thelypteris. Very rare. D. In 

 Learmouth bog, plentifully, R. C. Embleton. Recent operations 

 may have lessened the crop of this fern in the cited locality, but 

 cannot, I think, have yet extirpated it. 



9. A. FILIX-MAS = Lastrea filix-mas. The Male-Fern. In 

 woods, deans, heathy banks, and at hedge bottoms with a northern 

 aspect, common. A variety distinguished by having the pinnules 

 more distant than in the normal state, obliquely oblong, and more 

 decidedly incised on the margin, occurs in shaded deans ; and I 

 observe that the root produces the like fronds for many successive 

 years. A more marked variety occurs, althovigh rarely, in swampy 

 ground at the base of our moorland hills. The fronds are narrow, 

 of a thin delicate textu.re, with rather distant lanceolate pinnules 

 spotted with only a few clusters of sporules. — The powdered root, 

 or the oleo-resin of the Male-Fern, is an excellent remedy for tape- 

 worm. See Edin. Month. Journ. of Med. Science, June 1852, 

 p. 556 f. 



10. A. DiLATATUM = Lastrca dilatata = L. multiflora. In moist 

 woods, deans, and under shelving rocks, common. When of a large 

 size, and when the frond is loaded with its black clusters of sporules, 

 this is truly a magnificent fern. 



11. Lastrea Fcenisecii, Bab. Man. 411. 1 have learned the 

 character of this reputed species from specimens given to me by 

 Mr. Borrer. I suspect that it is of frequent occurrence in the district, 

 but it has been passed over unnoted from a belief of its being a mere 

 state of Asp. dilatatum. The specimens in my herbarium are from 

 rocks in the dean below Marshall-Meadows ; and from Dirringtou 



* Mr. Francis erroneously places this dean in Durham ; and one object 

 I have in correcting the error is to refer the young botanist to his prettily 

 illustrated book entitled, — " An Analysis of the British Ferns and their 

 Allies." Lond. 1837, 8vo. 



t Mr. Newman has figured a singular variety of Asp. filix-mas (Brit- 

 Ferns, p. 52, 1st edit.) in which the frond " is simply junnate, the margins 

 of the pinnae being waved, but not divided." The figure is derived from a 

 specimen in the herbarium of the late Mr. Winch. It was first described 

 in my Flora of Berwick, ii. p. 1 1 ; and I gave Mr. Winch his specimen. 

 He seems to have omitted the habitat, viz. Ennis, Clare, Ireland, whei-e it 

 was gathered in abundance by the Rev. John Baird. 



