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Note on Lastrea tiliyinosa. By Mr. John Lloyd. 



Having read the Rev. Mr. Bree's observations on this plant in the 

 November number of the ' Phytologist' (Phytol. iii. 1087), and not 

 feeling disposed to acquiesce in that gentleman's conclusions, I beg 

 to offer the following remarks to the notice of the readers of the 

 ' Phytologist.' 



In the month of March, 1846, I brought some plants of Lastrea 

 cristata from Oxton Bogs. I planted them in a north border, and 

 when they expanded their fronds I observed mixed with them one 

 plant of Lastrea spinosa, and several plants which I could not 

 identify with either species, as they appeared intermediate between 

 both. These I cultivated with care, and increased as much as 

 possible for three years, during which time they kept themselves 

 quite distinct. I then sought for further information wliere I thought 

 myself most likely to obtain it. The result is published in the 

 'Phytologist' for October, 1849, and also a most clear and correct 

 description of the plant, by Mr. Newnnan. Since then I have had 

 another year's experience in its cultivation, and the opinion that I 

 first formed I still adhere to ; that is, that it is exactl}'' intermediate 

 between L. cristata and L. spinosa. 



As an humble individual my opinion is of little weight, but as 

 the learned of the present day are divided as to what may and what 

 may not be called a species, I am obliged to seek for information in 

 the works of former botanists. Professor Dr. Thomas Martin in his 

 ' Language of Botany,' under the head " Species," defines it as 

 follows: — "The distinct forms of vegetables originally so created, 

 and producing by certain laws of generation others like themselves. 

 There are therefore as many species as there are different invariable 

 forms of vegetables now existing." Now as L. uliginosa assumes the 

 same form in Notts, Cheshire, Norfolk and Essex, and Dr. J. T. 

 Mackey is in possession of a plant from Mucross Woods, Killarney, 

 which he has compared with specimens from one of my plants ; as 

 any practical gardener who has paid any attention to British ferns 

 will readily distinguish it from all its congeners ; and as it has been 

 already discovered in five distinct and distant localities ; then if it be 

 not a distinct and invariable plant, I do not know what to call it. 

 It is certainly very near to L. cristata, and also to L. spinosa, but 

 are not the gradations in all extensive genera (ferns and others) very 

 fine ? Instance the overgrown genus Mesembryanthcmum, which 



