142 beee's fern. 



character was first pointed out to me by Mr. Jenner, when we 

 were examining the living plants at Bridge Bocks ; and I am 

 indebted to that gentleman for much kind assistance in my first 

 endeavours to distinguish this species from its congeners. 



My much-esteemed friend, Mr. Yarrell, first pointed out to 

 me the fact, that the fronds of this fern wither, like those of 

 Filix-foemina, almost immediately on being gathered ; but 

 notwithstanding this peculiarity, we have no fern of which the 

 fronds are more perfectly persistent : but this character again 

 fails in the very fruitful fronds. 



Mr. Lowe has described and named two varieties of this fern, 

 as below : — 



" a. alatum ; fronde 4-pinnatifida ; pinnis inferioribus (primi 

 secundique ordhiis) triangularibus vel ovatis, externis interiori- 

 bus oppositis valdd majoribus : pari infimo j)innarum (primi 

 ordinis) basi deorsum ramoso ; pinnula (secundi ordinis) potis- 

 simiim prima (aliquando etiam secunda) inferiore s. exteriore 

 deorsum products. 



" Hab. in sylvis Vaccinii padifohi, Sm., Maderse ; ubique 

 vulgatissima. 



" /3. productum ; fronde tripinnatifida, pauUo magis elongata : 

 pinnis omnibus oblongis ; externis internis oppositis vix majo- 

 ribus : laciniarum ultimarum dentibus subaristatis. 



" Hab. in umbrosis humidioribus Maderse ; rariss. 



" /3. Statu potius prioris (a.), e loco obscuriore, defectu lumi- 

 nis, &c., quam varietas videtur. 



" Frons in utraque varietate nana, 1 — 1|- pedes (una cum 

 stipite) longa, ierb pedalis; 6 — 8 poUices lata: stipite vix dimi- 

 dium totius longitudinis sequante. In utraque odor idem gra- 

 tissimus foenum novum redolens, constans." — Phytol. iii. 510. 



Both forms occur in Ireland, and in Cornwall, but it does 

 not appear to me that they require naming, since the more 

 elongate form appears constantly to grow among thick herbage, 

 or in deep shade, and to owe its character to this cause : it is 

 not so common, or indeed so normal, as the deltoid form. 



