LASTREA DTI.ATATA. 299 



be regarded as entirely new. The variety was found in July, 

 1863, by Mr, C. Monkman, of Malton, and also by Mr. Stabler, 

 of Levens, Milnthorpe, and accidentally by one of Lord 

 Carlisle's labourers, growing luxuriantly in the Raywood, closely 

 contiguous to his Lordship's Yorkshire seat. Castle Howard. 

 In all six vigorovis plants were found, and as they are exclusively 

 in the hands of collectors, some time must elapse before the 

 variety is at all common. • One half the find is held by Mr. 

 Monkman and Mr. Clapham, and the rest went to Mr. Barnes, 

 at Milnthorpe. Plants stout growing, as in the species; the 

 outlines of the fronds present a contracted appearance towards 

 the apices, which are lengthened caudately, resembling a pinna. 

 The basal pinnae are normal, becoming, as they ascend, 

 curiously dwarfed and transformed, as follows: — pinnules, 

 excepting the basal ones, dwarfed and irregularly palmately 

 branched into three, four, or five short divisions, which, 

 according to their size, resemble small pinnules or pinnulets, 

 and are finely and continuously toothed. The arrangement 

 of the pinnules has the peculiar cruciate form, which renders 

 a pinna of Hoicardii so much like the whole frond of 

 Athyrium Filix-fcemina var. Fieldice. Fructification copious, 

 but, so far, there has not been time to test the reproductibility 

 of the variety from spores, and certain very small off'-sets from 

 the old plants are yet indisposed to sport, showing no departure 

 from the normal frond. However, as six very large crowns 

 were found, and growing some yards distant from one another, 

 and as all the fronds, -without exception, are alike marked, 

 there can be no doubt as to the permanency of the variety. The 

 name Hoicardii was given in compliment to the Earl of Carlisle, 

 and in acknowledgment of the interest his Lordship has taken 

 in the Ferns of the Castle Howard district. It is apparently 

 a form of the variety micromera. Quite unique in character, 

 and a most remarkable Fern. The pinnae, with their transformed 

 forked pinnules, bear a strong resemblance in character to the 

 small fronds of the oddly-shaped Athyrium filix-fcemina^ variety 

 Fieldice, and Polystichum angidare, var. Elworthii. Mr. !Moore 

 is of opinion that the plant belongs to the elegantly small 

 pinnuled type or division of Lastrea dilatata, to which it has 

 been proposed to apply the name micromera. The illustrations 

 are from fronds sent by Mr. Monkman. 



