Portion of mature Frond. — upper side. 



ASPLENIUM PR^EMOKSUM. 



SwARTZ. Smith. Presl. Fee, Plukenet. 



PLATE VII, VOL. V. 



Asplenium Canariense, 

 " furcatum, 



" cuneatum, 



** erosum, 



** laceratum, 



WiLLDENOW. ElUNZE. 



Thunberg. 



Hooker and G-reville. 



HORT. 



Desvaux. Hooker and Greville. 



Asplenium — Spleenwort. 



PrcBmorsnm — Jagged-pointed. 



In the Section Acropteris of Authors, 



Perns grow so differently in dissimilar climates and localities, 

 that great difficulty is frequently felt by botanists, when forming 

 their opinion as to whether certain plants are really distinct 

 species, or have only varied from the normal form, owing to 

 local circumstances. The present species so closely approaches 

 that of several others, that it seems probable that the various 

 forms, such as Asplenium Canariense, A. furcatum, A. prcemorsum, 

 etc., are merely varieties of one Fern. To the botanist this 

 is very perplexing, and requires a thorough knowledge of all 

 the Ferns in the world, in order to form a trustworthy opinion 

 of each plant; for if we only turn to the many varied forms 

 which seedlings have assumed from Scolopendriwn vulgare. Polys- 

 VOL. V. G 



