BOTRYCHIUM LUNAEIA. 315 



some botanists considered identical, occurs throughout North 

 America. 



The moonwort has a very extensive range in Great Britain ; 

 but, from its generally diminutive size, it may be said that it 

 frequently escapes that notice which ferns of more conspicuous 

 appearance can by no possibility elude. Its chief stations in 

 England may be given as in Staffordshire, Surrey, and York- 

 shire ; and Antrim in Ireland : but it is more or less generally 

 distributed over the whole of the British Islands, including the 

 Isles of Wight, Orkney, and Shetland. It affects dry, open, 

 heaths, elevated pastures, and waste lands ; its strong succu- 

 lent roots always creeping horizontally amongst the radicles of 

 grasses. An abnormal station is recorded by that accomplished 

 and amiable botanist, the late Dr. Bromfield, in the ' Phytolo- 

 gist.' " In rocky wooded ground under the cliff at East End, 

 by Luccombe, a little beyond Rose-cliff Cottage, as you go by 

 the pathway to Bonchurch, in the shadiest recesses, amongst 

 dead leaves, June 12, 1841, in moderate quantities. Gathered 

 there since by myself, but the place is difficult to find by stran- 

 gers : the fern grows in narrow hollows, between the masses of 

 rock overhung by the brushwood." — Phytol. iv. 19. It would 

 be inexcusable in me to publish the immense list of habitats 

 which, through the great kindness of my correspondents, I have 

 received for this fern : they would occupy more space than can 

 be allotted to such a subject. 



The roots and caudex (?) of Botrychium differ essentially 

 from those of true ferns ; the roots are stout, succulent, and 

 brittle, and cannot be properly defined as radicles : the caudex 

 (?) is about the same size as the roots, perhaps rather stouter ; 

 it descends perpendicularly, and the roots issue from it at right 

 angles, principally at two points, and with a subverticillate ar- 

 rangement, but without any uniformity in this respect. Before 

 the plant has felt the influence of spring, the frond exists in a 

 quiescent state, but perfectly formed ; it then appears like a 

 simple stem, scarcely an inch in length, and perfectly erect : 

 on a closer inspection, the component parts of the future frond 



