FILICES. 



75 



any results of examination of the caudex of this Fern in its native 

 localities, but it is very probable that the branches of the caudex, 

 when it is growing in boggy soil, creep like those of L. crista ta and 

 spinulosa, both of which assume a tufted condition when grown in 

 ordinary garden soil ; but L. uliginosa certainly forms larger crowns 

 than either of the others when cultivated under precisely similar 

 circumstances. Fertile fronds 18 inches to 3 feet high, and 4 or 

 5 inches broad ; pinnae rather distant, the lower ones spreading, the 

 uppermost ones ascending, all somewhat twisted round so as to turn 

 their upper surface to the sky. Barren fronds 8 to 12 inches long, 

 by 2^ to 4 inches broad. 



Occasionally late in the year fertile fronds shorter and less divided 

 than the ordinary ones, and consequently much more resembling those 

 of L. cristata than the ordinary ones, are produced ; but, as far as my 

 experience goes, this is by no means a usual occurrence. It seems 

 as if sori were produced on what ought to have been barren fronds. 



A very puzzling plant, quite intermediate between L. cristata and 

 L. spinulosa. It differs from the former in its longer, narrower, and 

 more acute pinnae and more separated pinnules or ultimate segments, 

 many of those next the rachis being pinnatifid, and with their lobes, 

 as well as the margins of the segments towards the apex of the pinnae, 

 much more deeply toothed, and the teeth more decidedly mucronate. 

 The basal pinnules, from being more divided, instead of giving off 

 veins from the midrib of the pinnule which run to the margin, give 

 off flexuous veins, running into each lobe, and from this flexuous vein 

 are given off ultimate veins, of which all but the first anterior branch 

 run into the teeth, and terminate in a clavate apex before reaching the 

 point of the tooth. All the veins are much more deeply impressed 

 on the upper surface than those of L. cristata, consequently the 

 surface of the frond is less smooth ; in fact, but for its rigid upright- 

 ness and more spreading pinnae, it closely resembles the less divided 

 and narrower states of L. spinulosa. I have never found mature 

 spores in the sporangia of my cultivated plants, but that arises, no 

 doubt, from their growing in too dry ground. 



The barren fronds are much more like those of cristata than the 

 fertile ones, indeed it would be scarcely possible to separate them if 

 mixed up among each other; usually, however, those of L. uliginosa - 

 are broader, with the pinnae more acute, the ultimate segments more 

 nearly divided from each other, and more distinctly serrated. They 

 are darker in colour and less smooth on the surface. 



I have very little doubt of L. uliginosa being a hybrid between 

 L. cristata and L. spinulosa. It appears to be found in company 

 with them, but is certainly less abundant than L. cristata, and much 

 less so than L. spinulosa : now if it were an intermediate state con- 

 necting these two we should expect to find it, if not more abundant 

 than either, more plentiful than one of them. If it really be an inter- 

 mediate form I think Mr. T. Moore's view is the only one tenable, 



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