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NOTES ON ATHYRIUM F-F. KALOTHRIX. 



It is now some 40 years since I first made the acquain- 

 tance of A . F-f. kaloth rix. This beautiful fern in consequence 

 of its lucent and general hair-like appearance and the great 

 advance made on then existing varieties, is entitled to a 

 first place among the many plumose varieties of Athyrium 

 F-f. Its weak point is its tendency to revert; entire fronds, 

 or more frequently individual pinnae, of inferior plumose 

 character, being produced in greater or lesser proportion 

 throughout the whole plant. Another weak point is its 

 unfitness for outdoor culture. In order to do it justice it 

 must be grown in a moist, shady spot under glass, where 

 the beautiful hair cannot be dishevelled by the wind. 



In kalothrix lineare, raised about 25 years ago, we have 

 a type which, so far as my observation goes, has not yet 

 produced any reverted growths. This sub- variety is less 

 robust than its parent, and is of a dwarfer and more hair- 

 like habit, producing its elegant fronds in greater profusion. 

 It appears to be quite barren, and propagation is necessarily 

 slow, two offsets only having been made in 25 years. 



On sowing kalothrix with formoso-cristaturn, several poly- 

 dactylous and well crested combinations resulted, one 

 showing the dark green of its crested parent on the normal 

 pinnae, the rest of the plant being of that light sheeny pale 

 green peculiar to kaloth ri.r proper. The best crested seed- 

 lings appear to be rather ragged in outline and feeble in 

 constitution, but are true and heavily crested kaloth ri.r in 

 every other particular. 



Another break is of a deep rich green, intermediate in 

 colour between its two parents. It has, however, a sugges- 

 tion of setigerum in its general appearance. It seems 

 moderately vigorous in constitution, but the kalothrix 



