POLYPODIUM DRYOPTERIS. 215 
In Ireland, at Connamara, Killarney, Mourne Moun- 
tains, Mam Turk, Tullamore Park, Turk Mountain, and 
other mountain districts. 
This is the Filix ramosa minor, or Smaller-branched 
Fern, of Bauhin's Historia Plantarum, where it is well 
represented by the woodcut. It is certainly not the 
Dryopteru Tragi of Clusius, Gerarde, and Parkinson. 
It was not known to Ray as a British plant when he 
published, in 1670, his Catalogus Plantarum Anglic ; 
but he had discovered it near Tintern Abbey before he 
published the first volume of his Historia Plantarum, 
in 1685, and this is the first certain notice of its being 
a member of the British Flora. 
The Polypodium dryopteris is well worthy of culti- 
vation, and, from its distinctness and comparatively 
compact habit, will be found to be very useful for rock- 
work, or any retired spot where moisture and shade can 
be commanded. It has, like the last-named species, 
a creeping main root, and will, like it, also require a 
shallow compost, composed of two-thirds fibry peat, with 
one-third leaf-mould, and a free admixture of sand and a 
little finely-broken sandstone. This compost will grow 
it either iu the rockery or in a pot. In either case a good 
drainage must be secured; for, although the growing 
plant delights in an abundant supply of water, yet it is 
most averse to water remaining about its roots. There- 
fore this must be attended to, and, after the usual 
articles are placed (such as crocks, broken bricks, or 
porous stones) for the drainage, a layer of moss, or the 
roughest parts of the peat, should be placed over the 
