138 



other writers, that I have brought together such a number of synonyms to this 

 species. So long as Asjd. Trichomanes was beheved to be an exchisively 

 European plant, a like plant discovered in Canada, in the United States on 

 the summits of the Andes, and on the heights of the great Himalaya range, in 

 S. Africa, and in the Sandwich Islands (and even the common or normal form), 

 was not unnaturally looked upon as sometliing new, partly from want of com- 

 parison with European types, and partly from an idea that it was improbable 

 the same plant should be found in localities separated by half the world from its 

 well-known original site. I have myself been led away by such views. Time, 

 and further opportunities of study, may show that I have erred in some of my 

 conclusions, but my fear is that 1 have not gone far enough, and more comjjlete 

 suites of specimens which are so much to be desired, may present connecting 

 links with some specimens still recorded here as species. I have as much as 

 possible quoted numbers to many localities of publicly (if I may so say) distri- 

 inited species, which will help to identify many of my synonyms here, as else- 

 where. It is probable that not a few names of supposed species inetficiently 

 described, may belong to the present, such as .\spl. Trichomanes, Thunb. Fl. 

 Jap. p. 334 (A. incisum, Thunb. in Linn. Soc. Trans, ii. p. 342) ; Aspl. minus, 

 Bl. Enum. Fil. Jav. p. 185, of which the author says, " A. Trichomanes, L., 

 distinguitur stipite tereti ;" A. pusillum, of Blume, I. c, of which he observes, " A. 

 Trichomanes, L., ditfert pinnis numerosioribus obtusioribus et tenuioribus ;" — 

 to say nothing of A. repente, Desv. in Mora. Soc. Linn. vi. p. 271, from Mada- 

 gascar, and A. niacrocarpuni, from S. America, Desv. 1. c, which, with others 

 not worth the trouble of investigation, are best abolished as totally unworthy of 

 retaining a place in any modern System of Ferns. 



96. A. (Euasplenium) Petrarchce, De Cand. ; caudex thick 

 subrepent densely clothed with fibrous radicles scarcely pale- 

 aceous, stipites csespitose very crowded 1-3 inches long in- 

 tensely black-ebeneous glossy and rigid, fronds 2 rarely 3 

 inches long lanceolate firm-membranaceous pinnate, pinnae 

 few 9-14 horizontally patent 2-3 lines long petiolate cordato- 

 ovate or oblong obtuse subcuneate at the base pauci-lobato- 

 pinnatifid lobes entire, veins pinnated oblique, sori small 

 4-6 at length confluent, involucre broad crenate membra- 

 naceous, rachis black-ebeneous green in the upper half. — De 

 Cand. FL Fr. iii. /;. 328. Hook, and Grev. Ic. Fil. t. 152. 

 A. glandulosum, Lois. A. pilosum, Guss. 



Hab. Europe, rare ; S. of France, Montpellier, Bentham ; Vaucluse, Reguien ; 

 Nice, Jos. Woods. Near Toulon, Bourgeau, n. 439. Sicily, Gussoni, rocks on 

 Mount Catalfano, near Bagheria, Huef du Pavilion, Br. Alexander Prior. Clefts 

 of calcareous rocks of Sierra Vernisa, near San Felipe de Xativa, Spain, Bourgeau, 

 n. 1G93. — Well distinguished from its near affinity, A. Trichomanes, by its 

 copious, glandular-tipped hairs, and its pinnx much more uniform in shape. 



97. A. (Euasplenium) eheneum, Ait. ; caudex nearly hori- 

 zontal stout, stipites tufted 3-4-6 inches long and as well as 

 the rachis deep glossy castaneous or black-ebeneous, fronds 

 6-12 or 16 inches long strict coriaceo-membranaceous 

 lineari-oblongo-lanceolate moderately acuminate pinnated, 

 pinnee about an inch long rather distant quite sessile trun- 



