98 WILSONS FERN. 



Polypodium Myrrhidifolium, Vill. Hist. Plant. Dauph. iii. 



851, t. 53. 

 Polypodium montanum, Allioni, Pedem. No. 2410 ; Lam. Fl. 



Fr. i: 23. 

 Aspidium montanum, Stoartz, in Schrad. Journ. ii. 42, Syn. 



Fil. 61 ; Willd. Sp. PI. v. 286 ; Schkuhr, p. 61, t. 63 ; 



Hoffm. Fl. Germ. ii. 10 ; DC. et Lam. Fl. Fr. ii. 558 ; 



Sadler, 43. 

 Cyathea montana, Smith, Mem. Acad. Turin, v. 40 ; Both, 



Fl. Germ. iii. 100. 

 Cystopteris montana, Link, Hort. Berol. ii. 131; Koch, Syn. 



981; Presl, Tent. Pterid. 93; Fries, Summa, 88; Newm. 



Phytol. i. 671, N. A. 15, F. 13 & 159, Phytol. App. xxv. ; 



Hook, and Am. 572; Bab. il3; Moore, 80; Ledeb. Fl. 



Boss. xiv. 517 ; Godet, Flore du Jura, 856. 

 I think the name of Polypodium montanum was conferred 

 on this plant against all the rules of botanical nomenclature, 

 Vogel having given that name to another species eight years 

 previously ; and in the present unsettled state of fern-nomen- 

 clature, it seems far from improbable that both species wiU be 

 again included in one genus, as they were in the time of Allioni. 

 As they were then both called Polypodium montanum, so they 

 must, with those who retain Bory's genus Lastrea in its entirety, 

 both be Lastrea montana. Moreover, Villars's name of Myr- 

 rhidifolium, having the claim of priority, relieves us of all diffi- 

 culty on the score of its adoption. With regard to the genus, 

 I have no doubt that those who have seen this beautiful little 

 fern on its native hills, or have successfully cultivated it, will 

 readily agree that its affinities are with Dryopteris and Eober- 

 tianum, rather than with fragilis : the stolon-like rhizome, the 

 triangular frond, the elbowed rachis, and the generally naked 

 clusters of capsules, all show the necessity for its eventual re- 

 moval from the genus with the species of which it has hitherto 

 been associated. The original figure of this fern in Villars's 

 ' Histoire des Plantes de Dauphine ' (tab. 53), well represents 

 its form and characteristics ; that in Schkuhr (tab. 63) is also 

 excellent, leaving nothing to be desired. 



