1 8 Phillips and Praeger — The Ferns of Ulster* 



Sberard's note would seem to be the original record of this beautiful fern 

 from the British Isles. There appear to be two forms of this plant — an 

 extreme form, which is the Killarney acutum, and with which, from the 

 Latin description, Sberard's plant appears to be identical; and an inter- 

 mediate form, to which the specimens from Binevenagh and Newtownards 

 belong, and which is plentiful in Madeira, the Azores, and parts of Spain, 

 which Mr. Wollaston, one of our greatest pterodological authorities, 

 raises to the rank of a species — Asplenium acutum. Fronds of our New- 

 townards plant have been sent to several of the leading pterodologists, 

 and the following opinions speak for themselves : — 



" It is identical with the one I found all through the Pyrenees. 

 I hardly think that it is a distinct species, though very distinct as a 

 variety." — E. J. Lowe. "Asplenium Acutum (Lowe) of Madeira, which 

 as a British plant, has only been found on mountains in the south-west of 

 Ireland." — GL B. Wollaston. " The Asplenium I consider an acute form 

 of Adiantum-nigrum." — A. M. Jones. 



2. A. MAEIOTM. Sea Spleenwort. 



Maritime rocks. Occurs in all suitable localities in the district. 



Antrim. — Plentiful all round the coast. 



Down. — Portavoe, very rare, W. H. Patterson. Abundant on the rocks at 



Newcastle. 

 Derry and Donegal. — Abundant along the coast line, wherever rocks occur. 



3. A. TRICHOMAIfES. Maidenhair Spleenwort. 



Walls, rocks, and dry banks. Very general ; localities are unnecessary. 



Ascends to a considerable elevation on the mountains. 

 depauperatum. Knockmore, Co. Fermanagh, W. H. P. 

 interruptum. (Moulei, Stansjield). Rocks on north side of Slieve Donard, 



Co. Down, R. LI. P. 

 multlfidum. Near Sligo, and in Co. Fermanagh, W. H. P. Garron Point, 



Co. Antrim, R. LI. P. 



4. A. VIRIDE. Green Spleenwort. 



Alpine rocks. Very rare. 



Donegal. — Mountains near Lough Eske, E. Murphy. Cully on the north 



side of Slieve League, Cyb. Hib. Supplement. Lough Salt Mountains, 



by the waterfall above Lough Eske, and old walls near Raphoe, H. C. 



Hart. 

 Fermanagh. — Mountains near Florencecourt, T. Plunket. 

 Sligo. — Ben Bulben, Dr. Mackay ; since found there, T. H. Corry, H. C. 



Hart, W. H. P. 

 Leitrim. — On tbe Glenade Mountains, W. H. P. 



