Bo 7 R YCHIUM. 
I8 7 
So George Wither, writing in 1622, says : — 
“ There is an herb, some say, whose vertue’s such 
It in the pasture, only with a touch, 
Unshooes the new shod steed.” 
And, again, Ben Jonson enumerates it among the herbs collected for various purposes:— 
“ 1 ha’ been plucking plants among — 
Hemlock, henbane, adder’s tongue, 
Nightshade, moonwort, libbard’s bane, 
And twice by the dogs was like to be ta’en.” 
According to Mr. Newman, the Moonwort is the easiest of all ferns to cultivate, never refusing 
to grow freely if properly treated. “ First dig up a large sod, where a few mature fronds are 
conspicuous among the grass ; take care to have it broad enough and deep enough, so that not one 
of the roots of the Moonwort is exposed, much less injured ; fit this sod in a large pot, a saucer, 
or even a box ; place it in the open air, and be sure to add comfort or rich vegetable soil.” 
BOTRYCHIUM MATRICARI7EFOLIUM, A. Dr. 
This species is very nearly allied to the common Moonwort, but can usually be readily 
distinguished by the shape of the barren segment of the frond ; this is somewhat triangular in 
shape and broadest at the base, while in B. Lunaria the general outline is lanceolate, the lower 
portion not being broader than the centre of the segment. The barren division is divided into 
several pinnae, which approach each other closely, the lower ones being deeply pinnatifid. The 
fruiting portion of the frond is pedunculate, the panicle of fruit being dense and bipinnate, and 
somewhat triangular in shape. 
This is widely distributed in the north of Europe, extending to Switzerland and northern 
Italy in a few localities ; it occurs also in Unalaska. It has been reported as an English plant, 
but its occurrence as such requires confirmation. B. boreale of Milde — a small plant approaching 
B. Lunaria in appearance — is considered by the authors of the “ Synopsis Filicum ” as a slight 
variety of this. 
Botrychium lanceolatum, Angst., is nearly allied to B. matricaricefolium, under which the 
authors of the “ Synopsis Filicum” place it as a variety. It is a more slender and smaller plant, 
with narrow almost linear pinnae separated from each other (not close together, as in the species 
just named), and with a smaller panicle. It is found in northern Europe, Siberia, and North 
America. 
BOTRYCHIUM TERNATUM, Sw. 
This is a fleshy, sometimes slightly hairy plant, varying from four to twelve inches in height ; 
the barren segment rises on a long petiole from near the base of the plant, and is broadly triangular 
in outline, divided into three pinnatifid divisions, the lower pinnae being much the largest. The 
fertile segment is raised considerably above the barren portion, and is triangular in shape, and 
very much divided. B. ternatum is a plant of wide distribution, although its European range is 
very restricted. It extends in the New World from the Hudson’s Bay Territory to New Granada 
and California, where it attains a very large size. In the Old World it occurs in Australia and 
New Zealand, and in Japan, Siberia, and Lapland. The young unexpanded frond is covered with 
soft hairs or down. 
