CYSTOPTERIS. 



99 



near TwU Der, and near Wrexham. It has also been collected in Scotland, 

 in Aherdeenshire, Moray, Ross-shire, and near Maens, in Berwickshire ; near 

 Killin, Perthshire ; in Sutherland, and on the Kincardineshire coast. 



C. fragilis is readily distinguished by its fronds, 4in. to Sin. long, 

 IJin. to 3in. broad, somewhat sjDear- shaped, and bi- or tripinnatifid (twice or 

 three times divided half-way to the midrib), being abundantly produced from 

 a close, tufted crown, and borne on smooth, reddish-brown stalks 2in. to 4in. 

 long, of a very slender and brittle nature. The largest pinnas (leaflets), lin. to 

 IJin. long and fin. broad, are divided into oblong pinnules (leafits), which 

 are cut down into bluntly- or sharply-toothed lobes (Fig. 19). The texture 

 is soft and papery, and the abundant sori (spore masses) are disposed two to 

 twelve to a pinnule. — Hooher, Species Filicum, i., p. 197. Nicholson, Bictmiary 

 of Gardening, i., p. 429. Eaton, Ferns of North America, ii., t. 53. Beddome, 

 Ferns of British India, t. 91. Lowe, Ferns British and Exotic, vii., t. 31 ; 

 Our Native Ferns, ii., t. 63. 



This species requires a suitable situation to develop and_ preserve its 

 true character, as it is very liable to alter its growth according to its position. 

 It is reported that in the Southern parts of Mexico, in the Hawaian Islands, 

 and in the Canaries, fronds over 1ft. in length are very common. Besides 

 being amongst the most plentifully-represented in Great Britain, this species, 

 which sometimes occurs in such abundance as to give a character to the 

 place, is also the one which has produced the greatest number of varieties, 

 some of which are so constant and so very striking as to appear as so many 

 distinct species. Siich are the following, all of which require treatment 

 similar to that recommended for the typical species : 



C. f. angUStata — an-gus-ta'-ta (narrow), Smith. 



The " Deep-cut or Red-stalked Bladder Fern," as this variety is commonly 

 called, is sometimes also found under the name of C. rhastica, on account 

 of its having first been discovered in Rhastia, and is a much stronger grower 

 than C. fragilis. Its fronds frequently attain IJft. in length, inclusive of the 

 stalks, which are of a dark red colour, becoming quite black in the autumn. 

 They are bipinnate (twice divided to the midrib), being furnished with long, 

 narrow, tapering, pointed leaflets, divided into deeply-lobed pinnules (leafits) 

 with sharply-toothed segments. C. f. angustata has been gathered near 



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