FILICES. 121 



distance from the sea. It lias been found within a short distance of 

 Penzance by Mr. J. Mager, and this plant, which is somewhat more 

 divided than the Guernsey form, proves incontestably its relationship 

 to the species to which we refer it." (Moore, 1. c. p. 73.) 



England, Ireland. Perennial. Summer, Autumn. 



Caudex with the crowns closely packed together, clothed with long 

 linear-subulate and filiform dentate scales, which appear to be dark 

 brown, but, when examined under a lens, are seen to be white 

 and hyaline, with a network formed by thick reddish-brown longi- 

 tudinal and transverse bars, which are the boundaries between the 

 cells ; the partitions project at the margins of the scales in the form 

 of very minute teeth : these scales are good examples of the clathrate 

 scales which distinguish the genus Asplenium from Athyrium. The 

 stipes is shining, purplish-brown, thickly clothed with articulated 

 hair-like scales when unfolding, but ultimately nearly glabrous, 

 variable in length even in the same tuft, very rarely as long as the 

 lamina, and usually only one-third or one-fourth 'as long, containing 

 two oval vascular bundles. Lamina variable in size, but generally 

 under 6 inches long by 1^ inch broad. The largest I have is 9 inches 

 long by 3^ broad, with a stipes of 9 inches long ; it was collected in a 

 well in Jersey by Dr. J. A. Power. The fronds are of a deep bright 

 green, without any lustre, and are evergreen if protected from frost, 

 to which they are, however, very susceptible ; so that the plant can- 

 not be cultivated out of doors, at least in the greater part of Britain. 

 The fronds vary in thickness, and are sometimes translucent, but 

 more generally they are opaque, and, when growing in exposed 

 situations, frequently have the pinnules recurved. 



Var. /3 seems to pass insensibly into the typical form. 



Var. y I have never seen, but, judging from the impression in 

 Moore's ' Nature-printed Ferns,' it is a most extraordinary variety, 

 simulating Asplenium marinum. 



Lanceolate Spleenwort. 



SPECIES III.-ASPLENIUM ADIANTUM-NIGRUM. 



Linn. 



Plates 1874 and 1875. 

 Babenh. Crypt. Vase. Europ. Exsicc. No. 35, 36, and 115. 



Caudex short, divided into several scaly crowns ; scales linear- 

 subulate, entire, tapering into long setaceous points. Fronds several 

 from each crown, ascending or spreading or pendent. Stipes wiry, 

 generally as long as and sometimes longer than the lamina, purplish- 



VOL. XTI. R 



