s 



* 



TRICHOMANES RADICANS. 43 



The variety Andreivsii is very distinct, having long narrow 

 fronds, lanceolate-ovate in form, the primary divisions narrow, 

 and, as well as the secondary ones, more distant than in the 

 normal form. Involucres immersed, and the receptacles much 

 elongated. We are indebted to Mr. William Andrews, of Dublin, 

 for the discovery of this handsome variety; he found it in the 

 year 184£, at Iveragh, Ireland. 



Trichomanes radicans was found at Bellbank, by Bolton, in 

 the year 1758, and he remarks that it was plentiful in this 

 station; it is now unfortunately only a habitat of days gone by. 



In Jamaica, in woods, observed by Swartz, Bancroft, and 

 Purdie. In Brazil, according to Raddi, Forbes, Macrae, Scouler, 

 Gardner, Sinclair, and Vautier, the variety Andrewsii appears 

 to occur, bearing fronds from six to eighteen inches in length; 

 a similar form exists in the Forest of Esmeraldas, El Equador, 

 according to Colonel Hall. In the Azores, Dr. Hochstetter and 

 Mr. H. C. Watson discovered it at an elevation of from two to 

 three thousand feet above the level of the sea. 



This Fern, in a wild state, grows on damp shady rocks, and 

 delights to be within the spray of a waterfall. Under proper 

 cultivation it can be made to be even more handsome than when 

 growing in its own wild habitat; on the other hand, under 

 imperfect cultivation, it is an unsightly Fern. It must be borne 

 in mind that the fronds live three or four years, and in the 

 case of barren fronds some have been known to keep green 

 and fresh as long as ten years; it is therefore desirable that 

 they should not be subject to injury. 



Mr. Joseph Henderson, of Wentworth, has both the normal 

 form and the variety Andrewsii growing in magnificent luxu- 

 riance; indeed those who have seen it in its wild state, say 

 that the Wentworth specimens eclipse them. Mr. Henderson's 

 plan is to grow it under a large hand-glass, the top only of 

 which lifts off, by which means the plant can be examined 

 without injury to the fronds in taking off and putting on the 

 hand-glass. The fronds entirely fill the space allotted to them, 

 like a dense miniature forest. With my own plants I have 

 followed a similar plan; the plants are potted in large saucers, 

 on pieces of broken crock and freestone, with a slight portion 

 of vegetable mould and silver-sand, below which the saucer 

 had been previously well drained, and upon this drainage a 



