1033 



the recess, those members who visited the country would remember, 

 that one of the leading objects of the Phytological Club was the for- 

 mation of a herbarium of British plants ; and that they would accord- 

 ingly do all in their power, not only to collect plants themselves, to 

 present to the Club, but urge their friends to do the same ; by which 

 means he trusted, when they met again in October, he should be able 

 to announce a long list of donations. Mr, Bentley also took this 

 opportunity of again urging on the members the great importance of 

 paying particular attention to the effects of climate, &c., on the medi- 

 cinal activity of plants. Observations on this subject were much 

 wanted ; and he hoped that some of the country njeuibers would fur- 

 nish a paper on this subject, as they alone were in a position to inves- 

 tigate it with any probable success. 



Dublin Natural-History Society. 

 June 10, 1853. — J. R. Kinahan, Esq., in the chair. 



Classification, 8fc., of Ferns. 



Mr. Kinahan read a paper ' On the Classification and Nomencla- 

 ture of Ferns.' 



" When, at the commencement of the session, I submitted to the 

 Society several undescribed varieties of native ferns, 1 stated that, 

 before the close of the session, it was ray intention to offer some 

 remarks on the subject of varieties of ferns. This promise I now pro- 

 pose fulfilling. The rough outline of the system (if I may venture to 

 use such a term) which I am about to bring before your notice, I have 

 already laid before a kindred Society in this city ; but, as I have since 

 had opportunities of establishing what then was only surmise, and of 

 fully working out what was then but a rough outline, I hope the present 

 paper may be deemed sufficiently original to be worthy of a place in 

 your Proceedings. In every work on the subject of British ferns we 

 find species described under two classes, viz., the ordinary form, and 

 what authors term varieties, under this term including every departure 

 from the original type, whether it be or be not permanent under cultiva- 

 tion, or affecting the whole plant, — a mere monstrosity, or a doubtful 

 species. This system gives rise to great inconveniences, as the student 

 is often unable to tell whether the plant so described as a variety is (in 

 relation to the original form) to be considered as a form modified by 

 climate, &c., or as a mere deviation from the normal type arising from 



