THE BRITISH FERNS 



145 



development ; and (3) Congestation, are the despair not only of the average 



which is usually present in conjunction man, but of the botanist. Is it not 



with dwarfing, all the parts of the frond a peculiarly barbarous proceeding to 



being closely pressed together and over- inflict upon an inoffensive plant such 



lapping. Two or more of these main a title as Aspidium angular e var. 



types of variation may be present in polydactylum multifidum grandiceps, 



the same plant, while the number of and that with the truly bathetic 



minor forms may well be termed in- termination, Jones ? But, certainly, 



finite. In fact, the possibilities of where there is such infinite variety the 



variation in ferns are so considerable problem of nomenclature is a difficult 



as to be comparable to the diversities one. 



of combination which may occur in Coupled with the information that 



ladies' hats, or even in the game of a good many energetic people have 



chess. Some faint idea of the number devoted a great part of their lives to 



of forms it is possible for a fern to the British ferns, and that the botany 



assume will be afforded by our stating of ferns is most vexatiously complex, 



that for reasons of classification it has what we have said should suffice to 



been found expedient to sub-divide convey to the uninitiated the know- 



the varieties of Scolopendrium vulgare ledge that the British ferns are by no 



as follows : 



Branched. 



Unequally branched. 



Conglomerated. 



Crested. 



Flexuose. 



Marginate. 



Margin-altered. 



Muricate. 



Narrowed. 



Plumose. 



Pouch-bearing. 



Sagittate. 



Supralineate. 



Truncate. 



Undulate. 



Variegated. 



means a superlatively simple subject. 

 But, fortunately, it is possible to derive 

 a great deal of pleasure from them with- 

 out delving deep into technicalities, or, 

 indeed, the exercise of any exertion 

 beyond that of looking about one when 

 in the country. By reason of their 

 After this it would seem almost climatic conditions the Lake District 

 superfluous to state that the nomencla- and Devonshire are the great English 

 ture of the British ferns is a thing which fern strongholds. Is not the very 

 it is pleasantest to marvel at from a thought of Devonshire suggestive of 

 distance. The amateurs and cultiva- deep-set lanes charmingly decked out 

 tors who have discovered or raised with ferns, of ferns on banks, on roofs, 

 many of the varieties have also fur- and on walls, indeed, of a fern paradise 

 nished them with Latin names, which and what more beautiful than this ? 



