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bearing spores which produce plants similar to the original typo. 

 This class will include what are at present called doubtful species. 

 2. Varieties would include monstrosities, i. e., aberrant forms, or plants 

 in which the original form of the species is lost, entirely or in part, so 

 as to render identification difficult ; found generally in isolated plants, 

 generally permanent under cultivation, uniform, i. e., affecting all 

 fronds of the plant; if fruitful, generally producing plants similar to 

 the parent. 3. Subvarieties, i. e., aberrant forms not permanent 

 under cultivation, always retaining in a great degree the original type, 

 not uniform, nor necessarily affecting the same plant every year, even 

 in a state of nature, and from its spores producing the normal form. 

 In accordance with these views, I have succeeded in classifying, under 

 the following four heads, all the monstrosities described by authors, 

 as well as many hitherto undescribed. These classes, and their dis- 

 tinctive characters, I now hasten to lay before you, in the following 

 order, using the terms variety and subvariety in the sense 1 stated just 

 now. I shall describe each analogous variety and subvariety together, 

 not that I believe there is any necessary connexion between them, for 

 the reasons stated before, but merely for convenience' sake. To the 

 first subvariety, 1 propose to give the name multifidum, taking as its 

 type the comuion hart's-tongue, var. ntuliijidum, and including under 

 it those forms, in other species, to which the names bifidura, lobatum, 

 and ramosum have been given. With these I propose to join, as the 

 analogous variety, the form ramosum, taking as its type the common 

 hart's-tongue, var. ramosum, and incorporating under it those varieties 

 to which the names crispum, viviparum, multifidum, furcatum, daeda- 

 lea, &c., have been given by various authors. The definitions of 

 these two will be as follows : — Ramosum variety : Rachis divided and 

 subdivided ; segments rounded at their edges, and apices generally 

 curled and crisped ; midvein terminating in a lash of branches ; seg- 

 ments confluent at their edges. Near this must be placed, if not 

 incorporated with it, the two following varieties : — Furcatum : Ends 

 of pinnae, and apex of fronds, split up into segments ; segments tas- 

 selled ; &c. Nodosum : Apex of frond having the rachis split up into 

 numerous segments, each terminating in a broad, curled expansion ; 

 pinnae much contracted, and tasselled at their extremities. Multifi- 

 dum subvariety : Rachis divided and subdivided ; segments preserv- 

 ing the usual outline of frond, not curled nor crisped, distinct at their 

 edges and extremities ; midvein terminating in a point at the extre- 

 mity of each segment. Both these forms have the following modifi- 

 cations in common : — Rachis either single, or divided so as to present 



