336 FERNS. 



The lovely island of Jamaica is very rich in Ferns ; 

 and perhaps there is no spot in the world where this 

 charming tribe could be studied with more advantage. 

 Situate within the tropics, an island, but of consider- 

 able area, and divided by a backbone of lofty moun- 

 tains, it possesses a great diversity of climate, and 

 a magnificent vegetation. I have already said that 

 every ninth plant is a Fern ; but even this statement 

 scarcely gives an adequate idea of the extraordinary 

 profusion of the tribe in the richer and more favour- 

 able districts, such as the gorges, glens, and humid 

 thickets of the lower ranges of mountains. Perhaps 

 it is not too high an estimate to suppose, that of the 

 species of Ferns at present in cultivation in our English 

 hothouses and warm-ferneries, more than one-fourth 

 have been drawn from this tropical island. 



only 700 miles north of the Kermadecs, and New Caledonia 750 ? 

 The only fern which is not a native of New Zealand is the Norfolk 

 Island Asplenium diffbrme. 



" Still more remarkable is the total absence in the collection of 

 any of the plants peculiar to Norfolk Island ; for Raoul Island is in 

 the same latitude as Norfolk Island, is exactly the same distance 

 from New Zealand, and the winds and currents set from Norfolk to 

 Eaoul Island ; in short, though the northern extreme of New Zea- 

 land, Norfolk Island, and Raoul Island, form an equilateral triangle, 

 with the exception of Asplenium diffbrme, there is not a single fern 

 of Norfolk Island found in Raoul Island, that is not also found in 

 New Zealand ; whilst of the twenty flowering plants of Raoul Island, 

 no less than six are absolutely peculiar to New Zealand and Raoul 

 Island, and, with the exception "of the tropical, widely-diffused 

 Pacific species, there are no phsenogamic plants or ferns confined to 

 Norfolk Island and Raoul Island. It is further remarkable, that of 

 the Raoul Island ferns, Cyathea medullaris and Pteris falcata 

 have not been found in Norfolk Island." 



