6 Phillips and Praeger — The Ferns of Ulster. 



This grouping is, of course, only approximate, and if taken as referring to 

 any particular county or district might give very erroneous results ; bub 

 when taken as referring to Ulster as a whole, it will, we think, convey a 

 pretty correct general idea of tbe distribution of our local Ferns. 



In two instances — namely, when referring to Lastrea Filix-mas and to the 

 divisilobe class of varieties of Polystichum angulare — we have departed from 

 our course as compilers of a list in order to describe some new classification 

 which has recently been adopted by the leading authorities on British Ferns. 

 This is not to be found in any of our Fern manuals, and, we believe, will 

 prove interesting to the botanists of the Club. We have been compelled, 

 much against our will, to adopt an alphabetical arrangement of the varieties, 

 since no scientific classification of them has been made, and we did not feel 

 qualified to attempt this task ourselves. The British Pterodological Society 

 performed a great service in classifying the varieties of Polystichum angulare, 

 though unfortunately their results have not been published ; but the Athy- 

 riumsy Lastreas, and Scolopendriums still remain unarrangod, waiting for some 

 champion to a7ise to give each one its proper place in the world of Ferns. 



In the difficult task of naming the varieties, we have obtained much 

 valuable assistance from kind friends on the other side of the channel ; among 

 these we would specially mention Colonel Jones, of Bristol, and George B. 

 Wollaston, Esq., of Chislehurst, to both of whom we are deeply indebted, both 

 for naming fronds submitted to them, and for sending us plants and fronds of 

 English forms of our varieties. From the beautiful nature-printed plates of 

 varieties of British Ferns, brought out by Colonel Jones, under the auspices 

 of the British Pterodological Society, we have abstracted our notes on Lastrea 

 Filix-mas and Polystichum angulare prOliferum, and have derived much other 

 assistance. To Mr. S. A. Stewart, F.B.S.E., we also owe many thanks for 

 information supplied as to localities for species. 



As to the distribution of varieties very little can be said. The varieties 

 of Ferns are peculiar, in as much as they generally occur as isolated plants. 

 Occasionally a little colony of some variety is discovered ; but usually a 

 single plant is all that is obtained in any one place. A few of the exceptions 

 to this rule we may mention : — 



P. angulare capitatum has been known to grow in Ballygomartin Glen, 

 near Belfast, for some twenty years ; and in spite of frequent depredations, 

 may still be found there. The Irish Polypody is a striking exception, 

 as it generally occurs in considerable quantity where it occurs at all. The 

 ditches about Ballymenoch, Holywood, have long yielded examples of P. angu- 

 lare interruptum. On sea-cliffs near Torr Head, in Co. Antrim, this summer, 

 we discovered a large colony of very curious interrupted forms of Athyrium 

 Filix-fcemina ; and many other instances might be quoted. But the most 

 noteworthy example occurs on the Mourne Mountains, where two very inter- 

 esting varieties of Blechnum, trinervium and anomalum, occur in hundreds on 



