747 



Remarks on the Ferns occurring at Lynmouth, North Devon. 

 By the Rev. W. T. Bree, M.A. 



" Multa peteiitibus 



Desunt multa.'' — Hor. 



During a recent sojourn at Ilfracombe, North Devon, I took the 

 opportunity, towards the end of October, of paying a two-days' visit 

 to those romantic spots, Lynton and Lynmouth, about twenty miles 

 distant from the former place. The far-famed " Valley of Rocks " I 

 confess somewhat disappointed me. But nothing of the kind can 

 surpass the beauty of the deep glens of the west and east Lyn, their 

 steep sides richly clothed with wood, oak,* ash, birch, &c., and a 

 deliciously limpid stream, bright as crystal, tumbling among the 

 rocks in the bottom, and forming a succession of waterfalls and 

 rapids in every variety of picturesque shape and beauty. A land- 

 scape painter might live here and work all his days, and die content- 

 ed. These rocky glens might seem to be the very seat of ferns ; and 

 accordingly they grew there in the greatest profusion and luxuriance, 

 — they enjoyed themselves. There were large masses of Polypodiura 

 vulgare, exceeding in extent all that I had ever seen before ; and the 

 fronds, in many instances, were nearly the length of the umbrella I 

 carried in my hand. Polystichum aculeatumf (or as some might call 

 it, angulare, or rather, both forms of the plant) grew in ihe greatest 

 vigour, and of a gigantic size, as did also Scolopendrium vulgare, and 

 some other species. I feel very much disposed to trouble you with a 

 list of the ferns I met with in this charming spot ; not that the list is 

 at all a copious one, at least not for so favourable a locality, nor does 

 it comprise anything that can be considered rare ; quite the contrary ; 

 the list is short, and includes only the commoner species. But my 

 object is rather to show what I did not find, and yet should have 

 fully expected would occur in this most suitable situation. The list 

 is as follows : — 



* Almost, if not entirely, all the oaks in this district are of the species Querciis 

 sessiliflora. 



t I confess I cannot see the propriety of making three species out of Polystichum 

 aculeatum and lobatum, so well understood by Kay (see his Synopsis). All the varie- 

 ties of these very variable fems, as it appears to me, may readily be referred to one or 

 other of the two species, aculeatum or lobatum. Neither can I subscribe to the doc- 

 trine, which I have heard broached, that "we must make three species, or sink them 

 all to one." I almost think we might with as much propriety make four species as 

 three. 



