THE FERN FAMILY. 311 



decidedly crisped appearance. Another variety of the same 

 species, called major, has been raised in several places. It is 

 very much larger in its growth than the true L. gibba, produces 

 many fertile fronds as broadly leafy as those of a true 

 Blechnum, those occupying the position of the normal fertile 

 fronds being also less contracted than in the type : the plants, 

 indeed, appear intermediate between L. gibba and Blechnum 

 braziliense. These varieties are quite distinct from the finely 

 ramose and crested L. gibba Bellii, grown by Messrs Osborn, 

 and Messrs Veitch & Sons. 



To what course of circumstances can we attribute the 

 extreme variety observable in our native Lastreas, Athyriums, 

 Polypodiums, Polystichums, and Scolopendriums ? Doubtless 

 many of these crested and depauperate forms owe their origin 

 to cultivation, but nevertheless hundreds of other variations 

 equally curious are found in the lanes and hedgerows of Devon 

 and Cornwall, or on the Welsh mountains, so that we must 

 look to a deeper disturbing cause than culture if we wish to 

 know the truth as to the variability and want of fixity of 

 character exhibited by these elegant cryptogams. 



Mr Thos. Moore, F.L.S., writing of Gymnogrammas, says : 

 " The Gold and Silver Ferns seem liable to a great amount of 

 variation ; and intermediate forms, whether hybrids or sports, 

 are often very distinct and beautiful. Such is the case with 

 some that M. Stelzner, of Ghent, has sent us. The most 

 striking is G. Laucheana gigantea, a richly-powdered form of 

 the chrysophylla group, growing to a large size, and having 

 remarkably broad leafy pinnules : this will be found an ex- 

 tremely decorative plant. G. aurea pendula cristata has the 

 same free-growing habit as the former, but with a multifid apex 

 to the somewhat narrower fronds, and is of freer growth than 

 most of the crested varieties of Gold Ferns. G. Stelzneri 

 superba cristata is another Golden Fern more sparsely 

 powdered, but very distinct and elegant : it has a multifidly- 

 forked apex, the tips of the pinnae broadly fingered, and the 

 pinnules also broad." G. Wettenhalliana is another crested 

 Gold Fern common in English gardens about 1867-68, and it 

 was one of the first crested forms in cultivation. 



A. elegantissimum (hort. Williams} and A. Farleyense (ex 

 hort. Farley Hill, Barbadoes) are both supposed to be spore- 

 sports or spore-hybrids, the first-named from A. cuneatum, 

 and the latter from A. scutum. A. Luddemannianum (hort. 

 Veitch} is a curious fasciated sport from the British Maiden- 

 hair, A. capillus-veneris. 



Asplcnium Breynii is considered from its habit, &c., to be 



