284 BRITISH FERNS 



XI 



Regale (Barnes) 

 Barnes. (Raised) 1867. 

 2 ft. 6 in. 



Raised by Mr. Barnes from splendens, and worthy of its name, — 

 the nearest approach to a real crested plumosum, — though it bears 

 spores ; — in colour a clear golden green, — some of its seedlings 

 promise to be even better than the parent, if that be possible. 



There is something in the cresting of Athyriums which seems 

 destructive of the true plumose character, — perhaps it is that a Fern 

 cannot think of too much at one time, — however, the fact remains 

 that hitherto, in spite of the efforts of all the most skilled manufac- 

 turers, the two characters, in their perfection, have not yet been 

 combined. J. Wilson, of Bowness, can show seedlings from a 

 plumose Athyrium, in every stage from simple plumosum to perfect 

 cristatum ; — the plumose character being unmistakably visible when 

 the plants are but slightly crested, but fading away exactly in 

 proportion to the development of the cresting, and to a certain 

 extent this change goes on in the same plant. 



