CYSTOPTEBIS MYREHlDIFOtlUM. 99 



The geographical range of this fern is very extensive. It is 

 found in Norway, Sweden, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and 

 Hungary ; indeed, Sadler (De Fil. Ver. 65) says that it occurs 

 in all the Provinces (sic) of Europe except Britain. I do not 

 trace it in Asia, except in Kamtkatcha, of which peninsula it is 

 a native, according to Mertens, Euprecht, and Ledebour. It is 

 abundant on the Eocky Mountains of North America, and has 

 also been reported from the Andes of South America : from the 

 former locality I have seen specimens, through the kindness of 

 Mr. Smith ; the latter locality requires confirmation. 



In Great Britain the range of this fern is more restricted 

 than that of any other species, being confined, as far as we yet 

 Imow, to one county in Scotland. I had the pleasure of first 

 introducing this fern to the notice of British botanists in 1844, 

 and give below all the information published respecting it from 

 that time to the present, including the first announcement. 

 But, it should be added, that our excursions into Scotland 

 are generally of such short duration, that the fact of its ascer- 

 tained range being so restricted, appears more the result of 

 this circumstance, than of its absolute scarcitj'-. 



Scotland. — " I found this fern on Ben Lawers (in Forfarshire), while 

 botanizing in company with Professors Hooker and Graham, in August, 

 1836. I do not think it probable it could have been introduced by acci- 

 dent, much less by design. It grows in a part where Saxifraga rivularis is 

 or was occasionally found, but so rarely that I never saw it but once, when 

 Sir W. J. Hooker pointed out a starved and scarcely intelligible plant ; the 

 scarcity therefore of the fern is no argument against its being truly indige- 

 nous. I gathered all the fronds I saw, but left the root, and think that I 

 could find it again." — Mr. Wilson in a letter to myself, see Phytol. i. 671. 

 " Corrach-Uaohdar, July, 1841 : Messrs. W. GourHe and W. Adamson." 

 — Hook. & Am. 573. "I have observed the notice respecting Cystopteris 

 montana on the wrapper of the ' Phytologist ' for November last. I had 

 the pleasure of gathering the plant in August last, in Breadalbane, not in 

 Mr. Wilson's place in Ben Lawers, which has not, I believe, been redis- 

 covered, but in the range of mountains between Glen Dochart and Glen 

 Loohay, where Messrs. Gourhe and Adamson found it in 1841. From 

 these gentlemen Dr. Amott obtained a direction to the spot, and kindly 



