138 



state of that species. I propose that it should bear the name of 

 incisa. 



1 will now, in a brief review of the species (British) and its varie- 

 ties, endeavour to point out their differences. 



Lqstrcea Filix-mas, Presl. — Fronds broadly lanceolate, sub-bipin- 

 nate ; pinnae linear-lanceolate ; basal pinnules more or less 

 distinct, the rest confluent all oblong, crenato-serrate or with 

 toothed incisions ; lateral veins of pinnules simply forked or 

 3- many-branched ; sori in a proximate line on each side of 

 midvein ; indusium entire, very persistent. 

 Var. a. . Pinnules obtuse-oblong crenato-serrate, their late- 

 ral veins simply forked, or sometimes 3-branched; sori con- 

 fined to lower half of pinnules. 



Aspidium Filix-mas, Swartz, Willdenow, Smith, Hooker, 

 fyc. Common. 

 Var. /3. incisa. Robust ; pinnules elongate and (especially those 

 next the main rachis) regularly divided by deep incisions, 

 the lobes more or less serrated ; lateral veins many-branched ; 

 sori extending nearly the entire length of pinnules. Schkuhr's 

 Aspidium depastum appears to be a monstrous state of this 

 variety, which is not the Aspidium erosutn of Schkuhr, as 

 suggested by Mr. Francis, that plant being figured with 

 glandular indusia, and otherwise different. 

 Hab. Near Bridgewater ; near Guildford ; near Cockermouth. 

 Var. y. abbreviata. Small ; sori confined to base of contracted or 

 obsolete pinnules forming a linear series on each side of mid- 

 rib of pinnae. 



Polystichum abbreviatum, De Candolle ffide Newm. fy 

 Bab. J ? Aspidium Filix-mas recurvum, Francis. 

 Hab. Probably not uncommon in dry situations. 

 A monstrous form of the variety incisa in the herbarium of the 

 Society (King's Cliff Valley, near Bridgewater, Mr. Clark), has the 

 pinnules very irregularly and deeply cleft, and manifests an indica- 

 tion of producing forked pinnae, in which state it very nearly coin- 

 cides with Schkuhr's figure of Aspidium depastum. 



A curious form found near Woolwich by Dr. Bossey, in the herba- 

 rium of the Botanical Society, though fruitful, has the lobes of the 

 pinna? depauperated, giving the pinnae the appearance of the leaves 

 of the Comptonia asplenifolia. I am not aware to what extent it may 

 have been observed ; probably merely an individual plant which had 

 been affected bv local causes. 



