SOME REMARKS ON THE CLASSIFICATION OF FERNS. 238 
sporidium x about 500. p.t. Fest oe brassicecola; a, spot with 
arrangement of perit e; D p and E e, sporidia x 320. de 18. 
Spherella acerifera ; a, a and sporidia ; b, sporidia x320. Fig.19. Sphe 
rella pP; a, ascus an rk sporidia ; h spori ridia x320. Fig. 20. incolla 
Rusei ; a, aseus and Les ridia; b, sporidia x 320, Fig. 21. Spherella Eryngii ; 
a, ascus and sporidia; b, apidis x320; c, sporidium x about 500. Fig. 22. 
Spherella Ligustri ; a, leaf with its parasite ; b, asci and n" prece. i 
: à Aus vn 
c, sporidia x 320. ig. 28. Spherella microspila ; a, ascus ; 5, 
sporidia x 320. i rella erysiphina ; a, asc ae i ; b, spo- 
ridia x 320; c, sporid rther magnified. Fi Spherella Leighton: a, 
p ; b, sporidiax320. Fig. 26. relia inequalis ; a, section 
of perithecium (enl ; 6, asci and sporidia ; c, sporidia x 320; d, sporidia 
furthe F lla Pinast , ascus and sporidia; 5, 
sp 32 28. Spherella Rumicis ; a, sp h arrangement of peri- 
perm (enlarged) ; 6, asci and spo ; €, spori 32 i Spherella 
e ci ridia idia x : 
ma; a, ascus and sporidia; b, sporidia. Fig. 30. Spherella lineolata ; 
a, uitis of leaf with perithecia ; $, ascus.and sporidia; c, sporidia x 320. 
ig. 31. Spherella recutita ; a, portion of leaf with its parasite; 6, ascus and 
spordis; c, sporidia x 320. Fig. 32. Spherella Pteridis; a, ascus and spo- 
ridia ; 5, sporidia x 320. 
SOME REMARKS ON THE CLASSIFICATION OF FERNS. 
By H. F. Hanct, PH D., Ere. 
At page 15 of the present volume of this Journal is a note by Mr. 
John Smith in controversion of the views I had expressed, in the pre- 
ceding volume, on the systematic position of the genus Brainea. The 
special attention Mr. Smith has for so many years devoted to Pterido- 
logy naturally renders any observations he may make of interest; and 
his opinions are always entitled to the highest respect. But I cannot 
say that his remarks have in any way shaken the conviction I had ex- 
pressed as to the real affinities of Brainea. I had endeavoured to show 
that this genus and its immediate allies in the tribe Gymnogrammee 
are represented amongst Lomariee by precisely analogous forms ; and 
those to whom the Ferns I mentioned are unfamiliar, will, I think, be 
able to satisfy themselves, to some extent, of the justness of my 
opinion, by a reference to the plat es of Fée’s ‘ Genera Filicum,’ or the 
very neat analytical figures in Mr. Moore’s ‘ Index. Mr. Smith 
writes :—“ I admit that Sadleria and Brainea are a perfect instance of 
Suis: but I must confess, in all my study of the relationship of 
Ferns, it never came into my mind that there was any connection be- 
tween Blechnum and Gymnogramme, or Woodwardia and Dictyogramme. 
. On the other hand, it is easy to see that Braznea, Sadleria, Lo- 
