236 



SEA SPLEENWORT. 



Among botanists of the present day there is no difference of 

 opinion as to its nomenclature : on the continent of Europe it 

 is but little known to botanists, and in this country all our 

 authors agree in calling it Asplenium marinum. It should, 

 however, be remarked, that the different forms have led some 

 of our older authors to suppose we have two species. One of 

 these is the " Adiantum majus Coriandri folio, Adianto vero 

 afane, pediculo pallide rubente " of Sibbald (Scot. 7), and also 

 the " Adianto vero af&nis minor Scotica folio obtuso saturate 

 viridi" of the same author (Id. 8), as quoted in Eay's ' Synopsis' 

 (Syn. 124) ; and the Adiantum trapeziforme of Hudson (Flor. 

 Ang. ii. 460) and Berkenhout, (Syn. ii. 309): Withering (Arr. 

 Brit. PL iii. 7 69) properly referred this supposed species to 

 Asplenium marinum. The other plant is the " Chamaefilix 

 marina Anglica " of Bauhin (iii. 2, 737) and Ray (Syn. 119), 

 the " Filicula petrsea femina seu Chamsefilix marina Anglica " 

 of G-erarde (Em. 1143), and the Asplenium marinum of Hud- 

 son, Berkenhout, and all modern botanists. 



This fern, as its name implies, is essentially a marine species, 

 rooting deeply in the fissures of sea-cliffs, or clothing the roof 

 of sea-caves, in the darkest recesses of which it seems to luxu- 

 riate. Its European range appears limited to the coasts of 

 France and Spain : from the ' Flora Eossica,' which embraces 

 the greater part of Europe and Asia, and a large jportion of 

 North America, the very name of this fern is absent. It is 

 very luxuriant in Madeira and Teneriffe, and, according to Sad- 

 ler, has been found in Northern Africa, but I have never yet 

 heard of its occurrence in other countries. 



Its range in Great Britain is very extensive, but confined 

 entirely to those counties which are washed by the sea. It will 

 be most convenient to trace its range coastwise. 



Commencing with Yoekshibe, the late Mr. Samuel Gibson informed 

 me that he found it sparingly on cliffs north of Scarborough. 



In Durham, Mr. Watson gives me Marsden Eocks as a locaUty, on the 

 authority of Mr. Bowman. Mr. Winch says it is also found on rooks near 



