ior 



OUR FRONTISPIECE. 

 Blechnum spicant var. revolvens. 



In our last issue we gave an example of this form of 

 variation in Polysiichum angular e t and now do so in 

 Blechnum spicant as found by the Editor near Barnstaple 

 a few years ago. A sowing from this has yielded quite 

 true progeny in which the incurved character is as fully 

 marked as in the parent. 



BRITISH FERNS AT ACTON {continued). 



Quite different from the above are the original P. v. 

 cristatum, an improved form of it, unnamed, and P. v. 

 gvandiceps Mrs. Fox. The last is a remarkable form, inas- 

 much as it continues to grow dichotomously from the 

 apex of the pinnae and pinnules until all are much divided, 

 P. v. gvandiceps Forstev is more foliose than the previous 

 one, and the midribs of the pinnae are red when seen by 

 transmitted light. P. v. glomeratum Muliins is very 

 variable, scarcely two of the fronds being alike. P. v. 

 bifida -multi fid um has bifid pinnae, and a multifid apex. 

 Very handsome is P. v. pulcherrimum, having long and 

 much divided fronds which go a long way in the direction 

 of P. v. cambvicum, but have not the same papery texture, 

 and are freely fertile. All parts of the frond of P. v. 

 semilaccvum undulatiim are much undulated or crisped. 

 Undoubtedly the finest of all the forms of the common 

 Polypody is that named P. v. elegantissimum, which was 

 found by three collectors travelling together, each of whom 

 gave it a different name, so that in course of time it 

 leaked into other collections under all the three names. 

 The other two are P. v. Whitei and P. v. covnubieuse. 

 There is another triad in connection with this splendid 



