2C)2 LASTREA FILIX-MAS. 



dissimilar, especially in the upper half of the frond, alternate; 

 near the apex of the frond the pinnas suddenly become very 

 small, pinnatifid, irregular, occasionally furcate, the apex of 

 the frond being crested. Pinnules irregular, decurrent, slightly 

 dentate or bidentate, their apices rounded, the basal pair 

 occasionally auriculate. In the upper half of the frond the 

 whole of the pinnules are connected, forming a pinnatifid 

 pinna, and near the apex even a simple bidentate pinna. My 

 thanks are due to Miss Beever for fronds. 



Cristata, Moore. (Plate XXVII.) — Found at Charleston, 

 near St Austell, in Cornwall, and near Ilfracombe, Devonshire, 

 by Mr. J. Dodds. The most ornamental and useful of British 

 Ferns. No Fernery can be complete without it, and it is 

 impossible to grow too many plants: a mass of cristata is a 

 picture to look upon. Some years ago Mr. Henderson, of 

 VVentworth, at a time when there were less than half a dozen 

 collections that could boast of this lovely variety, supplied me 

 with spores from which I raised several hundred plants. The 

 fronds are large, upwards of three feet in length, symmetrical 

 in form, gracefully bending, largely crested, and deep green 

 in colour. Fronds narrow lanceolate. Pinnaj brief, somewhat 

 remote, narrow, and tapering from the rachis to the base of the 

 crest; the crest is large, and formed of a branch of multifid 

 crisped segments, every pinna is thus crested, whilst at the 

 apex of the frond there is a much larger tassel, which is more 

 ramose. Pinnules oblong-obtuse, subglaucous beneath. Rachis 

 and stipes covered with golden scales. A form of Lastrea 

 pseudo-mas, W. During the last few years many forms of this 

 Fern, differing more or less from the parent, have been raised 

 from spores, some of which, when their characters are more fully 

 developed, will be deserving of distinctive names. My thanks 

 are due to Mr. James, of Vauvert; Mr. R. Sim, of Foot's Cray; 

 Mr. G. B. Wollaston, of Chiselhurst; Mrs. Bolland, of Ashurst 

 Park; Messrs. Stansfield, of Todmorden; the Rev. C. Padley, 

 of Bulwell Hall; Mr. Swynfcn Jcrvis, of Darlaston Hall; Mr. 

 Clapham, of Scarborough; Mr. C. Monkman, of Malton; Mr. 

 Clowes, of Windermere; Mr. Henderson, of Wentworth; Mr. 

 J. Smith, of Kew; Mr. D. Moore, of the Glasncvin Gardens; 

 Mrs. Delves, of Tunbridge Wells; Mr.C. Elworthy, of Nettle- 



