82 REMARKS ON BRITISH FERNS. 



•••lobular shape of the cover or involucrum, as well as from its 

 passing underneath the masses of capsules. It contains only four 

 species, which are very similar to each other. 



For the two species of Woodsia — Smith adopts that name as 

 given by Brown, — and in the genera Asplenium, Scolopendrium, 

 Blechnum, Pteris, Adiantum, Trichomanes, and Hymenophyllum, 

 Smith agrees with the classification of Linn,eus,Willdenow, &c. 



These genera include all the Dorsal Ferns ; and of those which 

 remain, I will only allude to the Osmunda, which well deserves 

 its title, " The Flowering Prince of British Ferns." It is, indeed, 

 one of the most curious we possess, for the upper leaflets are gra- 

 dually transmuted into dense clusters of capsules, more resembling 

 a flower than the usual appearance of Ferns. It is a native of the 

 fens and marshy situations, but bears transplantation to drier soils. 



I subjoin a list of the British Ferns, arranged according to 

 Smith's English Flora, fourteen of which were found at Matlock 

 during the last summer. 



P. vulgare 

 P. Phegopterus 

 P. caleareum 

 P. Dryopteris 



A. Lonchitis 



A. CEropteris 



A. Filix mas 



A. cristatum 



A. aculeatum 



A. angulare 



A. lobatum 



A. spiuulosum 



A. dilatatum 



A. dumetorum 



A. Filix Fcemiua Shady situations 



A. irriguum Clear springs 



C. fragilis 

 C. dentata 

 (.'. regia 

 C. angustata 



Polypodium, Polypody, 4 species. 

 Old walls, trees Common in most places 



Mountainous places Rare, Westmoreland 

 Do. Matlock 



Do. Tintern — Somersetshire — Derbyshire 



Aspidium, Shield Fern, 13 species. 



Mountainous places Wales — Scotland 



Healthy do. North of England — Scotland 



Hedge banks Common in most parts 



.Boggy heaths Norfolk 



Dry banks Do. 



Shady places — By some supposed a variety of the preceding 



Hedge banks Norfolk — Nottiughamsh — Derbysh. 



Marshy places Near Birmingham — Nottinghamsh. 



Woods Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, &c. 



Bushy, stony places Do. 



Nottinghamshire — general 

 Tunbridge aud South of England 



Cystea, Bladder Fern, 4 species. 

 Shady Tocks Plentiful in Derbyshire 



Clefts of high rocks Scotland — Wales 



Do, Do. do. 



Shady rocks North of England 



Asplenidm, Spleemvort, 9 species. 



A. Trichomanes Shady, moist rocks 



A.viride Rocks 



A. marinum Do. 



A. SeptentrionaleDo. clefts of 



A. alternifolium Do. do. 



A. rutaMnraria Rocks and old walls 



A. Adiantum nigrum Do. 



A. lanceolatum Rocks 



A. funtauum 



Dove-dale — Matlock 



Carnarvonshire — Craven — York 



Hastings 



North of England 



Scotland — but rare 



Common in Derbyshire, &c. 



Do. do. 



South of England — Tunbridge 

 Very rare 



