AN ENUMERATION OF CULTIVATED FERNS. 289 



OBS. This remarkable Fern has lately been added to the Kew 

 collection, having been sent from the Mauritius Botanic Garden 

 by Mr. John Horn.* In general habit and appearance this Fern 

 is the prototype of Nephrolepis ; but is distinguished by the 

 receptacles being laterally confluent, forming a linear marginal 

 sorus, similar to that of Lindscva, from which it is, however, 

 quite distinct in habit. 



84. PHEGOPTERIS. 



2*. P. plumosa, /. 8m. Asplenium Felix-foemina, var. plu- 

 mosum, Moore, Nat. Print. Ferns, oct. ed. p. 56; 

 Lowe's New Ferns, 1. 14. Yorkshire (Mr. Stansfield). 



OBS. A few years ago three plants of this Fern were found 

 wild in Yorkshire. It was soon afterwards described and figured 

 in the works above quoted, under the name of Asplenium Felix- 

 fcemina,var.plumosum ; but upon what grounds it was referred to 

 AsplenicB I cannot explain, as all the specimens I have examined 

 of it have small, punctiform, naked sori, perfectly characteristic 

 of the genus Phegopteris, with which it also agrees in habit. 

 This leaves me no other alternative than to consider it a species 

 of that genus, and consequently a new British species. In 

 doing so, the question arises as to whether it represents an 

 ancient species not before noticed, or the modern result arising 

 from the power of nature to generate new forms, in accordance 

 with the Darwinian Theory of creation of species. It is, how- 

 ever, to be observed that in abnormal or difformed states of 

 Asplenium and Scolopendrium, the sori are depauperated, in 

 some instances having no vestige of an indusium ; but such is 

 not the case with this plant. The fronds are perfect in every 

 respect, and if Herbarium specimens had been received from 

 some foreign country, no Pteridologist, on seeing the naked sori, 

 would refer it to Asplenioe. 



93. ADIANTUM. 



35*. A. Gheisbeghtii, Backhouse, Cat. (?) A. tenerum, var. 

 (J. Sm.}. Tropical America.f 



* \Vho left Kew in I86l to be assistant to Mr. Duncan. See page 15. 



U 



