Nov. 1900.] BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH 5 



Trichomancs in Jamaica, T. rigidum, Sw., which has very- 

 much the appearance of T. radicans, but is a much more wiry 

 and stiti' plant, growing on the ground in damp woods, and 

 more luxuriant the higher you ascend. The rootstock 

 does not creep as in T. radicans, but the plant rises in a 

 tufted form ; the fronds, however, are cut in the same 

 fashion, and the dark green colour is characteristic of both. 

 The great majority of the tilmies are not to be met with at 

 the low elevation at which T. radicans occurs, although 

 there are a few that may be found faii^ly low. Tliey occur 

 in greatest profusion at a height of from 5000 to 6000 ft. 

 Below that altitude you will find more species of Tricho- 

 manes than of Hymenophylluvi, the latter, with the 

 exception of H. polyantlws and one or two others, almost all 

 growing at least above 4000 ft., whereas T. ininctatum, 

 T. sphenoides, T. Krausii, T. sinuosum, T. Bancrofti, T. 

 scandcns, T. radicans, and T. rigidum can all be found 

 at comparatively low elevations, their range extending, 

 however, in most cases far up the mountain sides. The 

 happy hunting-ground for the filmies is then from 5000 ft. 

 right up to the summits of the hills. And this creates a 

 difficulty, for it is exceeding difficult to find any kind of 

 accommodation at such a height. If it had not been for 

 the hospitality of Mr. Fawcett, the Director of the Jamaica 

 Public Gardens, Mr. Neill Fraser and I would have been 

 unable to prosecute our researches. But Mr. Fawcett was 

 at that time living at the Hill Garden, at an elevation of 

 5000 ft., quite close to slopes of hill forest which exactly 

 suited our purpose, and, in addition to his kind reception 

 of us into his house, he put his botanical knowledge and 

 his herbarium at our disposal, so that we had the best 

 opportunity of making the most of a short visit. 



I remember, the first morning after we arrived, following 

 a path that led gradually upwards towards Morse's Gap, 

 and passing great tangled thickets of Glciclunia, seeing, 

 also, what seemed a strange sight there, quantities of Pteris 

 aquilina, the same as, and yet apparently slightly different 

 from, our common brake. I remember noticing a gigantic 

 tree-fern, Cyathea puhescens, Mett., I think, about forty feet 

 high, the long, thin stem bending a little out of the 

 perpendicular, and supporting a graceful plume of fronds 



