NOTES ON THE JANUARY FERN BULLETIN. 



By Chas. T. Druery, F. L. S. 



OSMUXDA REGALIS WITH DORSAL FRUCTIFICATION (p. 7).— This, 



from the description, is a very interesting case and merits par- 

 ticular investigation, involving, as it does, so great a structural de- 

 parture from the generic type as to quite upset the usual defini- 

 tion. It is not stated whether the whole frond was so character- 

 ized in its fertile portions or only partially. The resemblance of 

 the frond tip to that of Nephr odium is also remarkable. 



POLYPODIUM VULGARE ACUMINATUM GILBERT (p.I3>- — I should 



like very much to see a frond of this, as so many acutum forms 

 have been found on this side that it would be well to compare 

 before absolutely attaching a new name. In this connection, a re- 

 mark on page 23, by Mr. Davenport that "it is especially hazardous 

 to propose new varieties of Athyrium Ulix-foemina when there are 

 already upward of 300 or more named forms" applies very perti- 

 nently to all species, and I would point out that the frequent 

 references to Mr. G. B. Wollaston and Moore's "Nature Printed 

 Ferns," as authorities are at the present time, quite out of date, 

 the late Mr. Wollaston having ceased, long prior to his death, to 

 take an active interest in nomenclature, while since the publication 

 of the work in question an enormous number of new forms have 

 been found which cannot be left unconsidered. Mr. E. J. Lowe's 

 little book "Our Native Ferns," gives undoubtedly the most ex- 

 haustive descriptive list to date, embracing, as it does, nearly 2,000 

 distinct types, a list which from the general point of view is the 

 more valuable since it deals with all the forms found independ- 

 ently of their decorative value as symmetrical types. The great 

 number, acquired, however, renders the connoisseur dainty on this 

 side, hence a new book, edited by myself, "The Book of British 

 Ferns," is now in the press and will deal descriptively and pictur- 

 ally and exclusively with perfect forms with the sole exception of 

 some dimorphic ones of particular interest. The undesirability of 

 attaching different names on your side to varietal types which may 

 already exist on this, is very , obvious, and is borne in upon me by 

 noting in your previous issues several references to Asplenium 

 Trichomanes incisum, which is obviously not the same as the 



