357 



giiis, Mat. Med. (ed. 2) p. 679 ; Koch, 134 ; Fl. Siles. iii. 83 ; Sven. Bot. t. 359 ; 

 Wahl. ii. 478 ; Sadler, Fl. Pesth. 351 ; Kimth, ii. 70." 



3. H. maculatum, Crantz. Stem erect, quadrangular : leaves ovate-elliptical, ob- 

 tuse, with few pellucid dots : sepals reflexed, ovate-lanceolate, toothed, obtuse, mucro- 

 nate, with pellucid striae ; petals elliptical, obtuse, with purple stri^ and dots beneath. 

 " Crantz, St. Aust. (ante 1769), ed. alt. 98 ; Allioni, Fl. Pedem. (1785) ii. 45, t. 83, f. 

 1, (optime). H. delphinense, Villars ! " Fl. DelpL (1785) 81 ; " Hist. Plant. Dauph. 

 (1789) iii. 497, t. 44, (male); Reich.\ Fl. Exsicc. No. 1500. H. quadrangulum, 

 Leight. ! Shrop. 370. 



XII. iN'oies on the Distribution of British Ferns. By H.C. Watson, F.L.S. 



Mr. Watson commences his admirable remarks by observing that 

 " excepting some spots of small extent, whence they are banished by 

 local peculiarities of the surface, ferns may be said to range over the 

 whole of Britain, from south to north, from east to west, and from the 

 shores of the sea almost to the summits of the loftiest mountains ; from 

 which latter situation they are probably absent, rather in consequence 

 of the bleak exposure to wind, than of the diminished temperature in- 

 cidental to the height of any of our mountains." 



The number of species of British ferns will be variously estimated, 

 according to the views entertained by botanists regarding specific li- 

 mits. "The lowest estimate may be taken at 34; which is raised to 

 36, by the inclusion of two species now supposed to be extinct, and, 

 perhaps, never found wild in England, namely, Asplenium fontanum 

 and Trichomanes brevisetum." The latter number will be raised to 

 40, by those botanists who regard as distinct species the following 

 plants: — Polypodium Dryopteris and calcareum; Aspidium lobatum 

 and aculeatum ; Asplenium Ruta-muraria and alternifolium ; and Cis- 

 topteris fragilis and dentata. " And the number of 40 would be still 

 farther augmented by the addition of four other varieties, which are 

 sometimes accepted for species, namely, — 



" Aspidium angulare, a variety of A. aculeatum or lobatum. 

 " Aspidium dilata turn, ... A. spinulosum. 

 " Aspidium dumetomm, ... A. dilatatum or spinulosum. 

 " Cistopteris angustata, ... C. dentata or fragilis.'' 



Then again a few botanists would raise to the rank of species Aspi- 

 dium recurvum and Asplenium irriguum ; while others would regard 

 as varieties Cistopteris alpina and Woodsia hyperborea ; " but since 

 their views are not shared by many, we may hold our ferns to be esti- 

 mated at 36, 40, or 44." 



The number of species of indigenous flowering plants would in like 



