FILICES. 79 



Caudex slowly creeping when growing in boggy soil or leaf-mould, 

 in which case the divisions extend and separate the crowns from each 

 other, but when the plant grows in dry soil the divisions do not 

 elongate and the crowns remain close together, so that the plant has 

 a number of small tufts. Fronds 9 inches to 3 feet high or more, of 

 which the stipes is usually about half, but sometimes less, and some- 

 times a little more. Yar. a has the lamina firm, nearly parallel- 

 sided, 6 inches long by 1\ inches broad to 18 inches long by 5 broad, 

 yellowish-green, with the pinnae pointing upwards; in this state it 

 closely resembles the fertile fronds of L. uliginosa, but the frond is 

 more divided ; the basal pinnae have most of their pinnules separated, 

 and the two pinnules at the bottom of the pinnae on the lower side 

 of the pinnules are much longer than on the upper side, and 

 though this occasionally happens in L. uliginosa it is to a far less 

 extent. The pinnae are longer, and form a more acute angle with 

 the rachis, they are not so much twisted out of the plane of the 

 lamina, so that their upper surface is not so horizontal. Yar. /3 

 attains a considerably larger size, and is broader and less parallel- 

 sided, being from a foot long by 5 inches broad to 2 feet long by 

 1 1 inches broad ; the frond is much thinner and of a deeper green, 

 and the lower pinnules are often again pinnate. The sori are smaller 

 than in var. a, and do not become confluent as they often do in it. 

 Yar. y appears to be a form which Milde refers to under var. ele- 

 vatum. " Hujus varietatis formam eximiam in montibus Moraviae 

 observavi. Pagina subtus glandulosa; glandulae longae, clavatae, 

 unicellulares ; dentes laciniarum longissimi, in glandulam exeuntes. 

 Indusium glabrum. Baches dense paleaceae ; petiolus dense rufo- 

 paleaceus, brevior (5-8" longus). Ceterum lamina angusta, rigida, 

 flavescens." — Fil. Europ. p. 133. This agrees well with my var. y. 



The creeping caudex with its numerous small divisions, or 

 when in dry ground the caudex dividing into numerous small 

 heads, and the more parallel-sided frond distinguish it from L. glan- 

 dulosa. 



The broad concolorous scales, many-headed caudex, and narrower 

 fronds, separate it from L. dilatata. 



The spores are similar to those of L. spinulosa, with a few large, 

 rounded tubercles, not closely and finely muricated as in L. glandulosa 

 and dilatata. 



Yars. a and /3 look very different when growing wild, but when 

 brought into the garden they lose most of their peculiarities, and 

 it is probable that instead of being true varieties they are states 

 affected by their place of growth. 



I have genuine L. spinulosa from Amherstburg, Canada, collected 

 by Dr. P. W. Maclagan. 



Lastrea remota is referred by some botanists to L. spinulosa, but 

 it differs in the far more numerous scales, many of them narrowly 

 lanceolate, by the greater number of pinnae in fronds of equal size, 



