TRANSACTIONS OP THE SECTIONS. 161 



near Barnstaple, Devon, and some other places. It is quite constant under cul- 

 tivation ; of seventy plants raised from spores, all inherited the characteristics of 

 the parent. 



Blechnum S. imhricnto-suhcrenatum. Fronds ovate-lanceolate in outline, G to 

 9 inches long, from 1 to 2 inches broad; lobes closely imbricated and recurved, sub- 

 ci'enate on the lower limb. Gathered in Counemara, Ireland, in 1860. 



Blechnum S. anomalum (Moore). Fronds from (3 inches to a foot in length, and 

 1 inch or a little more in breadth ; lobos very naiTow, distant, attenuated ; all the 

 fronds fertile halfway down, ban-en below. This is certainly a very striking 

 anomaly, and one that could not have been anticipated by those best acquainted 

 with the normal type. I at first attributed the change to the situation of its 

 growtli, the groimd on which it was first found gi'owing being verj' wet ; but I have 

 since found it on dry hedge-banks and near dry walls, where the condition before 

 mentioned was altogether absent. Whatever may have been the cause, the change 

 is very wonderful, and two plants can scarcely be more unlike than the Blechnum 

 S. iinhricatum and the B. S. anomalum. About tliree-fourths of the plants hitherto 

 gathered have been constant. It has been found near Todmordeu, in Counemara, 

 Ireland, in North Wales, and some other places. 



Blechnum S. projeclum (Moore). This is a most heterodox varietj^, not at all 

 conforming to any law of regular development. Fronds from 4 to 10 inches long, 

 some of them almost entire, being little more than a winged rachis, others with here 

 and there a projecting lobe beyond the rachidal membrane, and others again with 

 large projections in lieu of lobes starting from the middle of the frond, others, still, 

 bearing projections or branches near the terminations in the most irregular manner. 

 Fertile fronds much longer than the barren, little more than a branched rachis 

 bearing son witliout the intervention of the usual side lobes. This bears very little 

 resemblance to the tj'pical form, and is altogether a most singular and gi'otesque 

 plant. It was gathered near the foot of Ben Lawers, Scotland, and, as described 

 above, is permanently in'egular in its development. 



Blechnum S. rariabile. Fronds the length of the normal t)rpe, variously fOTcate, 

 and ramose tenninally ; lobes below very much depauperated for more than half the 

 length of the frond. Gathered in the Clova Mountains, Scotland. 



Bk'chnum S. cauclatum (Moore). Fronds 4 or 6 inches long, and 1 to \\ inch 

 broad, contracted below, and terminating in a cauda more than one-third the length 

 of the frond. Gathered in North Wales. 



Blechnum S. diversifrons (Moore). Fronds less than the common type, very 

 much abbreviated below ; lobes suddenly starting to the full length in the middle 

 of the fronds, distant. Some of the fronds perfectly linear, being little more than 

 5 inch in breadth, whilst others, again, have projecting lobes vaiiously distributed ; 

 fertile Jfrond being little more than a winged rachis bearing the sori. Found in the 

 Vale of Todmorden. 



Blechnum S. Icitifrom (Moore). Fronds G to 9 inches long, and 2 to 8 inches 

 broad, distinctly caudate at the end, very coriaceous in texture. Gathered in two 

 or three places within the Vale of Todmorden. 



Blechnum S. brevilohmi (Moore). Fronds from 3 to G inches long, and from 

 J to 3 inch broad ; lobes rather distant, very short, like blunt triangidar teeth on 

 each side the rachis. Found in the Vale of Rosseudale. 



Blechiium S. ramosum (Moore). Fronds from G to 9 inches long, and from ^ to 

 1 inch broad, every frond tenninating in large crests or ramose cristations, these 

 crests again producing other crests. Gathered near Todmorden, also in Connemara, 

 Ireland. 



Blechnum S. heterophyllum (IMoore). Fronds exceedingly varied, some nearly 

 normal, others depauperated throughout, othei-s, again, having lobes projecting be- 

 yond the margin intermixed with abbrenated and normal ones. Gathered in the 

 Vale of Todmorden. 



Blechmtm S. erosum. Less than the normal type; fronds very naiTOw; lobes 

 scarcely developed at all, very much eroded. Gatliered near Todmorden. 



Blechnum S. polydactylum (Moore). Less than the nomial type, all the fronds 

 ending in fingered tenninations. Gathered in Connemara, and also near Todmorden. 



Blechnum S. crisjpum (Moore). Rather less than the species j lobes very much 

 1861. 11 



