240 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



P. Y. COrnubiense— cor-nu-bi-en'-se (Cornisli), Moore. 



Referring to this beautiful variety, which he describes at great length in 

 the "Gardeners' Chronicle," Moore says that it was found many years ago 

 in Cornwall, and has received more than one name, but that the present one 

 is adopted as it is significative of the habitat, just as P. v. cambricum is for the 

 "Welsh Polypody." It has also been called P. v. Whytei, having been 

 gathered by the Rev. Mr. Whyte, and P. v. elegantissimum, being very elegant 

 in outline. It is a remarkable form, in which scarcely any traces of the 

 typical plant are left ; indeed, were it not for occasional fronds reverting 

 sometimes entirely and sometimes partially to the type, it would be difficult 

 to discern that the two plants are related to each other • but the production 

 of these fronds is conclusive proof of the specific and varietal relationship. By 

 the uncommon nature of its finely-divided fronds, which, however, are not 

 transparent and rarely exceed lOin. in length, this variety resembles the well- 

 known "Killarney Fern" (Trichomanes radicans), or, as Moore says, "it has 

 much more the appearance of an exotic Davallia than that of the wild 

 Polypody of our hedgerows and pollard trees." Although exquisitely delicate 

 in appearance, it is nevertheless a free grower and one of the most distinct 

 Ferns known. It reproduces itself very freely from spores, most of the 

 young seedlings retaining the finely-divided character of the parent. — Moore, 

 Gardeners' Chronicle, 1876, p. 465. 



P. Y. crenatum— cre-na'-tum (notched), Moore. 



This variety, gathered near Ruthin, at Conway Castle, at Saltwood, also 

 at Muckross, in Ireland, and on the Carberry Island, near Athlone, has broad, 

 egg-shaped fronds much larger and of a much thinner texture than those of 

 the typical species. The margins of the leaflets are notched and sometimes 

 undulated, and the spore masses are sometimes oblong. — Lowe, Our Native 

 Ferns, i., fig. 16. Moore, Nature- printed British Ferns. 



P. Y. cristatum — cris-ta/-tum (crested), Moore. 



In this distinct and beautiful variety, of Irish origin, the points of each 

 frond are branched and crested, and all its leaflets terminate in small, crested 

 tufts, so as to form a frilled margin all around the fronds, which are 6in. to 

 9in. long. The. large and prominent spore masses cover the whole under-side 



