477 



Bree and Wilson pronounce it to be identical with Lastrea spinosa, 

 Newm. 



Hooker and Arnott declare it to be the type of Aspidium spinulo- 

 suin, Willd. 



Moore and Babington declare it to be L. cristata. 



Perhaps there are not six botanists in the kingdom who would be 

 esteemed more competant judges than those named above : they are 

 our leaders, our teachers, our docteurs-es-sciences. " Who shall de- 

 cide when doctors disagree ?" I shall still feel obliged by the free 

 expression of opinions as to the distinctness or otherwise of this fern. 

 — Edward Newman. 



Orchis hircina in Kent. 



I am recently informed of another station for this rarest of our Bri- 

 tish Orchideae, in the county of Kent. It is on the chalk between 

 Shoreham and Farningham. I shall feel extremely obliged to the 

 gentleman who communicates this information if he will prosecute his 

 inquiries, obtain a sight of the specimen, and report in a future num- 

 ber of the ' Phytologist.' — Edward Newman. 



I have now in ray possession a very fine flowering plant of Orchis 

 hircina, brought to me on Good Friday of the present year, by an 

 intimate friend, from a locality which I showed him last year, and 

 where we found five small plants of the same. The locality is in 

 the neighbourhood of the old station mentioned in Sowerby's ' British 

 Botany.' — George B. Wollaston. 



[I have learned, since the publication of the preceding, that twelve 

 good plants have been found in the old locality during the summer of 

 1852.—^. iV.J 



Asplenium fontanum. 



With respect to Asplenium fontanum being considered a British 

 species, I will supply you with all the information I possess respect- 

 ing it. On the south-west side of Tooting Common is situated an 

 isolated mansion, called Furze Down, the property of — Haigh, Esq., 

 commanding a most delightful and picturesque view over the Surrey 

 and Kentish hills. At this place Asplenium fontanum was wont to 

 luxuriate somewhat plentifully, in the crevices of an old wall, whence 



