FERN GROWING 115 



Tirana (Fig. 48). Narrow and lax near the base, cruciate 

 and broader about two-thirds of the distance up the frond, 

 then Hnear, with a Victories crest. 



There are a number of intermediate forms between the 

 two extremes, many of them, as in all the four figured, having 

 the peculiar apical crest of Victori(B. 



Hebe (Fig. 50). This variety differs greatly from the other 

 seedlings. It is much larger, and is more crested and cruciate. 

 The basal half of the frond is exceedingly lax ; the pinnse having 

 large apical crests, and the pinnules cruciate and lunulate ; the 

 basal pinnules being brachiate, with crested tips. Higher up 

 there are two or three pairs of pinnae that are crested and 

 cruciate with revolved lobes ; still higher it has a combination 

 of the characters of grammicon and Victoria ; and the crested 

 apex is quite a combination of characters- — the various ter- 

 minations of the branches being crested like Victoria. 



EXPERIMENT NO. XXV. 



In 1 89 1 spores from four varieties of Scolopendrium vul- 

 gare were sown together, viz., undulatum (wavy), projectum 

 (having marginal projections), sagittatum (normal, with sagittate 

 base), and Victoria (with much branched, shining fronds). As 

 soon as the prothalli began to show frondlets, the whole 

 were transplanted singly where they could be easily divided. 

 Amongst these prothalli, one had two frondlets, and this 

 prothallus was divided into four, two divisions of which were 

 as yet frondless. All four grew, and by June 1 894 had fronds 

 six inches in length : they are all alike, and a distinct variety 

 showing more or less the characters of all four parents. The 

 fronds are somewhat narrow, shining, with the base shortly 

 but conspicuously sagittate, and the apex capitate ; along the 

 margins are numerous pointed projections. The frond is wavy, 



