BOTANY 



from Diptford rectory in the Plymouth district, the specimen having been 

 verified by Mr. Moore of Chelsea (Ravenshaw). 



The prickly fern [Aspidium aculeatum) is widely distributed ; the 

 sub-sp. A. lobatum is reported from Barnstaple, and its variety lonchiti- 

 doides from Ilfracombe and Challacombe ; the sub-sp. A. angulare is com- 

 mon, and numerous varieties are recorded from the neighbourhoods of 

 Barnstaple, Ilfracombe and other places in the same district ; the variety 

 alatum is given in English Botany, ed. iii., for Ottery St. Mary, on the 

 authority of WoUaston, and the variety gracile is stated to occur in Devon. 



The male fern {Nephrodium Filix-mas) is a common and conspicuous 

 species ; the var. affine is recorded by Moyle Rogers from Moretonhamp- 

 stead and Trusham and is widely distributed ; the var. Borreri (the golden 

 male fern) is also frequent ; and the var. abbreviatum is comparatively 

 scarce, being reported from Hartland and Ilfracombe. 



The crested shield fern {N. spinulosum) is not very common in the 

 typical form ; the sub-species N. dilatatum however is frequent and is a 

 very handsome fern, the var, nanum occurs at Ilfracombe, the var. Aspid- 

 ium Boottii is reported from Ilfracombe, Challacombe and Hartland ; the 

 var. A. dumetorum is also reported from Ilfracombe and Challacombe ; 

 several other varieties occur. The hay-scented fern {N. amulum) is 

 widely distributed but appears to be very scarce in some districts ; it is 

 frequent in the upper Tamar country, not uncommon though local in the 

 Barnstaple botanical district, rare according to Mr. Moyle Rogers in the 

 area of the Teign basin and rather common within 12 miles of 

 Plymouth. The marsh fern (iV. Thelypteris) is very rare ; it occurs in 

 Braunton Marsh in the Barnstaple district, and has been reported from 

 Kingskerswell in the Torquay district. The sweet mountain fern {N. 

 Oreopteris) is locally abundant and occurs in all the districts. 



The common polypody [Polypodium vulgare) is plentiful in all dis- 

 tricts ; the variety with pinnatifid segments (P. cambricum) is represented 

 by the form crenatum which is reported as frequent in north Devon ; 

 other varieties are also recorded for north Devon. 



The beech fern (P. Phegopteris) is rare and very local ; it was re- 

 corded by Hudson in 1778 for the county, a precise locality probably being 

 in the parish of Petertavy in the Tavistock district ' on the side of the 

 hedge on the left of the road twixt Wilsworthy hamlet and Black Down 

 Gate just beyond a lane that turns to the left hand ' {^ourn. Bot. 1884, 

 p. 174) ; there are several other stations for it on Dartmoor; in the 

 Barnstaple botanical district it occurs in the parish of Challacombe near 

 Exmoor ; it is said to have disappeared from the banks of the river Dart 

 through the depredations of collectors. The oak fern (P. Dryopteris) is 

 also very rare and local ; there are several recorded stations on Dartmoor ; 

 in the Barnstaple district it occurs in the parishes of Parracombe, Bratton 

 Fleming and Challacombe, and it is reported from Ilfracombe. 



The flowering fern [Osmunda regalis) was formerly abundant in all 

 districts, but is now rapidly disappearing from many places through the 

 action of fern collectors and dealers. 



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