442 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



(leafits) are crowded, rather overlapping, and each superior or upward one 

 next the midrib of the frond is very much lengthened and deeply cut into 

 stalked third divisions, thus making the frond tripinnate. — Lowe, Our Native 

 Ferns, i., p. 78, t. 14. 



A. a. truncatum — trun-ca'-tum (maimed), Lowe. 



This remarkable variety, very distinct in general appearance, possesses 

 the property of reproducing itself very true from spores : it was originally 

 found in Ireland, and its distinguishing features are the truncated form of 

 the fronds and of their leaflets. The fronds, of a deep green colour above 

 and paler beneath, are of a very leathery texture, 9in. to 15in. long by 

 2in. to 3in. broad, and terminate abruptly ; they are borne on very stiff 

 and scaly, short stalks, and their pumas (leaflets) are furnished with three 

 or four pairs of pinnules (leafits), peculiarly fan-shaped and deeply toothed. 

 The sori (spore masses) in this singular variety being situated on the 

 extreme margin, appear almost as if disposed on the upper surface of the 

 frond. The combination of the above-mentioned distinctive characters renders 

 this singular Fern very interesting. — Lowe, Our Native Ferns, i., p. 82, t. 17. 



A. a. varians — var'-i-ans (variable), Wollaston. 



An exceedingly curious variety, with fronds 1ft. to 2ft. long, of 

 a particularly soft texture, and light green in colour. The pinnae (leaflets), 

 opposite in the lower part of the frond and alternate in the upper portion, 

 affect all sorts of shapes, being variously interrupted, mostly short and 

 blunt, frequently forked, sometimes only rudimentary, or even wanting 

 altogether. The pinnules (leafits) also vary in size, shape, and quantities 

 accordingly, sometimes numbering ten pairs, while the next pinna only bears 

 one pair, or is even reduced to a single pinnule. There also exist a dwarf 

 form found at Littleham in Devonshire, and another, altogether distinct in 

 habit, its fronds being 2ft. to 2jft. long, found near Exeter, in which, 

 however, the same variable character is observable, and which only differ in 

 their size, no two pinnae being alike. — Lowe, Our Native Ferns, i., p. 105, 

 fig. 76. 



A. a. Wollastoni (Wollaston's). The plant popularly designated under 

 this name is one of the several known forms of A. a. proliferum. 



