ME. T. MOORE ON ADIATTTTJM FARLEYENSE. 83 



sterile larger and more crowded, 1-1^ inch long, dilatato-rhomboid, 

 the posterior margins recurvo-falcate, the anterior deeply lobate, the 

 lobes inciso-laciniate in a dichotomons manner with the ultimate 

 divisions linear, obtuse, and quite free from serratures. Sari numerous, 

 crowded, oblong, variable in size, terminal on the shallow lobes; 

 indusium oblong, entire. JRachides and petioles everywhere glossy 

 ebeneous. 

 Hab. Barbados. 



It will be seen that, although evidently related to A. tenerum, 

 this beautiful novelty differs from it in the larger size of its 

 pinnules, and in the regularly dichotomo-laciniate condition of the 

 margin of the sterile pinnules, which are also entirely free from 

 the small serratures which occur so distinctly on the sterile 

 portions of the fronds oiA. tenerum. To these differences may be 

 added the dimorphous development of the plant, so entirely 

 different are the elegantly-fringed sterile pinnules from the more 

 contracted fertile ones. As a garden plant it is far more beautiful 

 than either of the species with which it has been compared. It is, 

 in fact, one of the most charmingly graceful species yet known of 

 perhaps the most lovely genus of the pre-eminently lovely family 

 of ferns. 



Adiantum Farleyense was, I am informed, introduced to this 

 country by T. D. Hill, Esq., of London, by whom it was received 

 from his friend T. G. Briggs, Esq., of Barbados, West Indies. Mr. 

 Briggs's residence in that island being called Farley Hill, the fern 

 has been christened as a memento. The magnificent specimen ex- 

 hibited at South Kensington was presented by him to Col. Miles 

 of Burton Hall, Malmesbury, to whose gardener, Mr. J. Green, I 

 am indebted for the material whence the foregoing description has 

 been derived. Mr. Green states that the sterile fronds are very 

 numerous in comparison with the fertile ones, and that they are 

 always deeply cut ; moreover, that the young fronds are of a 

 beautiful pink colour, which they retain until they acquire their 

 full size. This variation in colour adds very greatly to the 

 beauty of the plant. 



P.S. — Since the above has been in type, I have learned that this 

 fern is a seedling raised at Earley Hill, by which I infer that it is 

 of garden origin, and not J erce natures. It is probably therefore 

 a well-marked sport of A. tenerum, or it may possibly be a hybrid 

 between A. tenerum and A. trapeziforme, as it bears a certain 

 degree of resemblance to both. 



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