77 



or are evergreen, though we cannot refrain from alluding 

 to some of trie Lady Ferns which are amongst the finest 



in existence. 



The common Polypody is now at its best, whether in its 

 native hab tats or under cultivation, so that reference to it 



ry appropriate ; but for the present we need refer only 

 to specially fine forms. Starting with Poly podium vulgave, 

 we may say that two of the primary developments of it 

 are P. v. longipinnahim and P. v. cvistatum. The former has 

 pinna: about two or three times as long as those of the 

 type, and was found by Mr. Druery at Killarney. The 

 latter is simply crested. Between these and P. v. cambricum 

 there is a wide gulf; but some five forms of it, we noted 

 here, constitute a very natural group. Mr. Druery regards 

 all of them as plumose forms of Polypody, inasmuch as all 

 of them have undergone a great amount of vegetative 

 development, that is, they are much divided, greatly 

 amplified and absolutely barren, so that no sporelings can 

 be raised from them. Before going further we may correct 

 an erroneous impression that has got widely circulated, 

 namely, that the Welsh Polypody, so called, is peculiar to 

 Wales, the fact being that it has been also found in several 

 places far distant, and the best types of it originated in the 

 Lake District. The ample, leafy, twice divided fronds of 

 P. v. cambricum are not yet mature, some being only half- 

 grown, or less, as they only commence to grow in June 

 when summer is upon us. P. v. Pvestoni was found in the 

 chink of a rock near Carnforth by Mr. Preston, and is a 

 more plumose form of P. v. cambricum, being in fact the 

 densest and most leafy or plumose of the whole section. 

 P. v. Barrowii is the most robust of the section ; and while 

 it is less densely imbricate than P. v. Pvestoni, it is in every 

 way of bolder habit or form. P. v, plumosum Hadwin 

 has much blunter segments than P. v. cambricum, 

 foliose and narrower fronds. P. v. cambricum Oakley ae 



