145 



will be a great boon to the scientific botanist, and an incalculable 

 benefit to the cultivators of ferns. 



In the present number of the ' Phytologist' I have no available 

 space for extracts from the ' Gardener's Magazine of Botany,' and at 

 present can do no more than heartily recommend it to my readers. 



Further Remarks on Lastrea recurva. 

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



Some readers possibly may think that enough, and more than 

 enough, has already appeared in the pages of the ' Phytologist,' 

 touching certain disputed species or varieties of British ferns, of 

 which Aspidium dilatatum of authors may be regarded as the type or 

 representative. Thus we have in the number for April no less than 

 three articles, respectively by the Rev. W. S. Hore, Mr. Wilson, and 

 Mr. White, all bearing upon the subject; over and above the pathetic 

 remonstrance in propria persona by Lastrea recurva in a previous 

 number. I am not complaining of these discussions ; quite the con- 

 trary; they are to me highly interesting. Agreeing, as I do in the 

 main, with the substance of what these gentlemen have written, I feel 

 very much inclined to add a iew more words on the subject, even at 

 the risk of being thought tedious. The group of species to which I 

 allude, with Aspidium dilatatum standing at the head of them, may 

 not improperly be termed (to use a vulgar expression) the " awkward 

 squad " among ferns ; that is to say, it forms a convenient sort of 

 receptacle to which to refer all manner of perplexing species, which 

 botanists do not very well know how else to dispose of. Thus we 

 find Lastrea dilatata and spinulosa, or, in more correct phrase, multi- 

 flora and spinosa, the newly-invented uliginosa, the perfectly distinct 

 recurva, and even rigida, according to some high and most respectable 

 authorities, all lumped together as varieties of one and the same spe- 

 cies. Let Lastrea cristata look well to her claims as a species, for I 

 am half inclined to think that there are incipient suspicions arising in 

 some quarters against her character too. Be this as it may, verily 

 oux old familiar acquaintance Filix-mas ought to consider that he has 

 had a most lucky escape in not being transferred to the " awkward 

 squad," seeing that rigida has heretofore been so served ; although this 

 latter fern is now, I believe, pretty generally admitted on all hands to 

 be a perfectly distinct and genuine species. But confining ray obser- 

 VOL. IV. U 



