376 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



T. radicans— ra-di'-cans (rooting), Swartz. 



This species, extensively known under the popular name of " Killarney 

 Fern," and also called T. brevisetum, is of a very cosmopolitan character. It 

 is the only representative of the genus found in Europe, and is undoubtedly 

 the most beautiful of all the Filmy Ferns. It is first mentioned as a British 

 Fern by Dillenius in the third edition of Bay's " Synopsis," published in 

 1724. He states that it was found by Mr. Richardson, at the head of Elm 

 Crag Well, at Bellbank, near Bingley, Yorkshire, in which locality it was 

 also found in 1758 by Bolton, who then remarked that it was plentiful in 

 that district — now, unfortunately, only remembered as a habitat of clays 

 gone by. The copper plates given by Dillenius establish the identity of the 

 plant beyond any doubt, even if his description were not sufficient for the 

 purpose. He describes it as " Filine humilis repens, foliis peMucidis et 

 splendentibus, caule alato" (Dwarf creeping Fern, with transparent and 

 shining leaves, and with winged stems). The above-named place is the only 

 spot in England where the finding of the Killarney Fern has been recorded. 

 According to Lowe (" Oar Native Ferns," vol. ii., p. 448), it has been found 

 growing luxuriantly in some abundance in various places, extending over 

 several miles in Wales, and the naming of T. radicans cambricum confirms the 

 statement, but the localities have been kept secret on account of the dread 

 of its extermination by collectors, this beautiful Fern being much sought 

 after, as may be gathered from the statement that although Bolton found it 

 in abundance near Bingley in 1758, he could only find one root in the same 

 locality in 1782. In Ireland it is commoner, for, besides such well-known 

 localities as the Powerscourt Waterfall and the waterfall above Turk Cottage, 

 Killarney, where it has been found exposed to the spray on shady banks and 

 rocks, this Bristle Fern is also reported from various stations in the 

 counties of Cork, Kerry, Waterford, Wicklow, &c. ; but we cannot find any 

 record of its existence in Scotland. 



The cosmopolitan character of the Killarney Fern is shown in its 

 geographical distribution, as may be seen by the following notes extracted 

 from Lowe's excellent work, " Ferns British and Exotic " (vol. viii., p. 43) : 

 "It was observed by Swartz, Bancroft, and Purdie in the woods in Jamaica. 

 In Brazil, according to Raddi, Forbes, Macrae, Scouler, Gardner, Sinclair, and 

 Vautier, the variety Andrewsii appears to occur, bearing fronds from Gin. to 



