THE RIGID FERN. 



LASTR^EA RIGIDA. Presl. 



Nephrodium rigidum. Don. 



Aspidium rigidum. Schkuhr, Hooker, Francis. 



LOCALITIES. 



ENGLAND . . Yorkshire, foot of Ingleborough, rocks near Settle. 

 WALES. ) 

 IRELAND. > Unknown. 

 SCOTLAND. ) 



THIS is another species unknown in this country, except in 

 the two habitats above recorded. As far as I am able to judge, 

 the Settle plant agrees exactly with the figure given by Schkuhr 

 in his Kryptogamische Gewachse, PI. 38, and, unwilling as I 

 am to admit continental species on the mere coincidence of form 

 in a casual frond, I must acknowledge that the specimens of 

 rigidum gathered near Settle by Mr. Tatham, and obligingly 

 presented to me for this work by Mr. D. Cooper, appear to be, 

 beyond a doubt, the species in question. The Rev. Mr. Bree has 

 kindly transmitted to me specimens of his plant, gathered 

 in 1815 on Ingleborough, near the foot of the mountain, 

 towards the neighbouring village ; when cultivated, it assumes 

 a more diffuse and lax appearance, and is not so like Schkuhr 's 

 figure as the plant from Settle. I have the weighty authority 

 of Professor Don to support me in the opinion that this 

 species is identical with the Aspidium rigidum of Schkuhr. 

 This plant was first mentioned as a British species by Dr. 

 Hooker, in the Supplement to the English Botany, PI. 2724, 

 under the name of Aspidium rigidum ; it was next published by 

 Professor Don, in the Transactions of the Linnean Society of 

 London, Vol. xvii. p. 435, as Nephrodium rigidum ; and, lastly, 

 by Mr. Francis, in his " Analysis," p. 33, and figured PI. ii. 

 fig. 10 : the figure, which, as a drawing, is very elegant, appears 

 rather to be a representation of Filix-mas than the present species. 



