314 



LADY FEEN. 



then spreading, and finally defiexed, extremely acute, their mid- 

 rib not winged : pinnules distant, very narrow, linear, entirely 

 unconnected, their margins convolute, 

 (fig. a, on the preceding page, repre- 

 sents a pinna) : clusters of cajjsules 

 subrotund, close to the midrib of the 

 pinnule, and finally covering their un- 

 der surface, and themselves partially 

 covered by the convolute margin of the 

 jDLnnules. 



The description of Athyrium rhasti- 

 cum, va7\ minus, of Eoth (Flor. Germ, 

 iii. 68), agreeing exactly with Sir J. E. 

 Smith's specimen of Aspidium irrigu- 

 um, but scarcely with that author's 

 descriiJtion, appears to me to be merely 

 a seedling plant. Smith admits that 

 his sj)ecies was " raised originally from 

 seed," and that " after long cultivation 

 it considerably approaches Filix-femi- 

 na." There is nothing to show to 

 which form of Filix-femina this elegant 

 seedling belongs, but it certainly most nearly resembles Athy- 

 rium convexum : a figure is given in the margin. 



S. The Linnean Lady Fern : Athyrium incisum ; Athyriuisc 

 FiLix-FEivnNA, var. incisum. 



Polypodium incisum, Hoffm. Deutschl. Fl. ii. 6. 

 Athyrium Filix-femina, Roth, Fl. Germ. iii. 05. 

 Athyrium Filix-femina, var. incisum, Newm. F. 24.3. 

 Athyrium Filix-fcEmina, (i., Bab. 41:3. 

 Athyrium incisum, Neivm. Phytol. App. xiii. 

 Athyrium Filix-foemina, a., Moore, 139. 



