^32 boey's spleenwokt. 



This fern seems to be very abundant and very luxuriant in 

 the Azores, the Cape de Verde and Canary Islands : it occurs 

 less plentifully and less luxuriantly in Portugal, Spain, Italy, 

 lUyria, Istria, Croatia, Sclavonia and Hungary. 



In Great Britain, it has only been recorded for three Irish 

 counties : — Down, on the authority of Sherard ; Kerry, on the 

 authority of Miss Hutchins, Dr. Taylor, Mr. W. Andrews, Dr. 

 Mackay, Mr. W. Wilson, Dr. Allman, and Dr. AUchin, to whom 

 I am indebted for fronds and a living plant ; and Cork, on the 

 authority of Miss Carpenter, to whom I am indebted for the 

 loan of a very fine frond. 



'§tmi^txm, 



Eadicles very strong, black, and wiry : caudex robust, its 

 crown composed of a mass of nearly black bristle-like scales, 

 which totally hide the undeveloped fronds : stipes glabrous, 

 very black at the base, notably longer than the frond, often 

 twice as long ; in the figure on the preceding page it is repre- 

 sented of the exact length, and is thrice bent at acute angles, 

 in order to accommodate the figure to the dimensions of the 

 page : frond very ample, elongate-triangular, the apices of the 

 pinnffi, as well as the apex of the frond, being excessively acu- 

 minate, or, as Willdenow has it, " caudatis, i. e., longissime 

 acuminatis ; " the effect of the figure would have been greatly 

 improved could the apex of the frond have been represented : 

 the frond, as well as its pinn£e and pinnules, are all pinnate, so 

 that it is one of the most divided of British ferns : the ultimate 

 divisions are linear, toothed, and sharp-pointed, they seem to 

 consist of a midvein and a narrow wing : the clusters of cap- 

 sules are linear ; the involucre is also linear and very distinct : 

 the dorsal surface is green and glabrous, and has the texture 

 very peculiar, having a feel like that of writing-paper. 



Nothing can possibly be more remote from my purpose, or 

 more prejudicial to my botanical reputation, than the erection 

 of a casual form or variety into a species : but I hope that my 



