BRITISH FERNS 



XXV 



L:\STRHA PSEUDO-MAS, Vtir. CRISTATA (Moore) 



Cornwall. Before 1850. 

 3 ft- 



Perhaps the grandest and most useful of British Ferns, and it is 

 scarcely to the credit of Pteridologists that its history should still 

 remain obscure ; — all that is known is that it was found in the 

 parish of St. Austell in Cornwall, in the grounds of Caercleugh, 

 and that the plant was at Kew in 1850. 



Dadds, of Ilfracombe, found in N. Devon a crested form of this 

 species, differing however in character from this — and R. Moule of 

 the same place, and whose statements are to be relied on, says 

 that he found near Ilfracombe four plants apparently identical with 

 the original. 



More seedlings have probably been raised from this variety 

 than from any other British Fern, vet it is remarkable how rarely 

 has there been any marked divergence : — angustata-cristata is the 

 most remarkable, and was reared by Mr. Sim from a batch of 

 small fry given to him by Mr. Wollaston — cristata elegans of Mr. 

 Wollaston, cristata crispata of Mr. Ivery, and cristata intermedia 

 were, until lately, the only other sports from it worthy of note, — 

 but a new form of crispata cristata has lately been raised by Mr. 

 Golt, of Kendal, which promises to be a distinct and handsome 

 variety. 



