955 



mode of giving habitats, and his general accuracy as to counties, we 

 may translate the passage thus : Habitat old walls and rocks above 

 Hammersham Church, (authority) Mr. Bradney ; and stony places 

 about Wyboum, both in Westmoreland." The word both of course 

 is not in the Latin, but the plan of Hudson's work warrants its inser- 

 tion. Withering translates the passage fairly and literally, but other 

 authors do not deserve the like praise. Sir J. E. Smith gives it thus, 

 " On Amersham or, Agraondesham, church, Bucks, found by a Mr. 

 Bradney, according to Hudson." This translation, it will be seen, is 

 totally at variance with the original. We do not consider ourselves 

 called on to pursue the subject further than to say that we cordially 

 approve of the omission of Asplenium fontanum from the catalogue of 

 British ferns. 



Asplenium Adiantum-nigrum affords an instance of three conti- 

 nental being blended in one British species ; and we again have to 

 censure the unfairness or carelessness which has been instrumental to 

 the result. We do not urge the adoption of all the species, but we 

 urge the necessity of a dispassionate enquiry, and the expression of a 

 candid opinion as to their value. We cite the descriptions from Sadler, 

 as quoted in Mr. Newman's Appendix. 



" Asplenium obtusum, Kit. Fronde ovato-triangulari basi bipinuatifida, medio bi- 

 pinuala, apice simpliciter pinnata ; pinnulis oblongis et laciniis obtusis remotis, apice 

 inaequaliter obtuse dentatis, rbachi alata. * * * ' E rliizomate horizon- 

 tali fusco perpendiculariter descendant radiculs tenues fuscescentes. Stipites 3 — 4- 

 pollicares basi fuscescentes canaliculati uitidi e rhizomate adscendunt. Rhachis vi- 

 ridis est et margine foliaceo-viridi cingitur. Frons 3 — 4-pollicaris ovato-triangularis, 

 viridis ; siccatione obscurior evadens, bipinnata {basi tripinnatifida) est, pinnarum in- 

 feriorum pinnulis primariis pinnatifidis, laciniis cuneiformibus obtusis, apice inaequa- 

 liter dentatis, pinnulaB superiores etiam obtuse dentatae sunt. Sori congenerum, in 

 qualibet lacinia aut pinnula 3 — 4. Indusia membranacea.' Sadl. Adumbr. Epiph. I.e." 

 Sadler, De Filicibus Veris Hungariae, &c. p. 50. 



" Asplenium Adiantum-nigrum, L. Fronde ovato-triangulari, basi bipinnatifida 

 medio bipinnata, apice simpliciter pinnata, pinnulis oblongis et laciniis acutis approx- 

 imatis acute dentatis, rhachi non alata. * * * E phrasi characteristica 



hujus plantae et e descriptione praecedenti adnexa differentia harum adfinium specie- 

 rum satis liquet.'' — Id. p. 51. 



" Asplenium acutum, Bory. Fronde ovato-triangulari longe acuminata, pinnis pin- 

 nulisque oblongo-lanceolatis longe acuminatis, pinnis propriis et laciniis lanceolatis, 

 approximatis, acute et profunde iuciso-dentatis ; dentibus subbidenticulatis. * * 

 * Radix et stipites Aspl. Ad. nigri : radix quippe dense fibrosa, fuscescens. Stipites 

 ex una radice plures primum cum rhachide virides, demum profunde purpurascenti- 

 fuscescentes, nitidi, supra sulcati. Frons — siccatione facillime nigrescens— ^ — 1-peda- 

 lis, acutissime acuminata, inferius perfecte tripinnata, pinnis propriis acute incisis, in 



