smith’s fern. 
133 
Yorkshire. — Mr. Hardy informs me that this plant is plentiful 
on Anster rocks ; Mr. Tatham, Mr. Backhouse and Mr. Gibson 
have found it abundantly on the hills near Settle ; Mr. Wilson 
observed it, growing with Dryopteris, on Ingleborough ; and Mr. 
Watson gives me Arnclilfe and Gordale as habitats, on the au- 
thority of Mr. R. B. Bowman. 
It has been found, according to Sadler, in Hungary, Germany 
and France, but in no other country of Europe, neither am I 
aware of its existence in Asia or Africa ; but I possess a frond 
from the State of New York, and Sadler also gives it without a 
doubt as a native of North America. 
We are indebted to Bolton for first noticing and describing 
this fern, which he treated as a variety of P. Dryopteris. I 
have observed,” says this author, “ a variety of this plant grow- 
ing in White Scars, near Ingleton, and in the Peak of Derby- 
shire, wherein the rib is taller, more firm, hard and robust, white 
and opaque the leaves larger, the number of parts greater, and 
the largest of the lobes are again partly lobed, or divided down 
half-way to the middle rib : this variety I have figured, tab. 1, 
fig. 1.”^ The plant, however, was named and characterized as 
a species by Sir J. E. Smith ; his description is in these words : 
Frond three-branched ; branches doubly pinnate, erect, rather 
rigid ; segments obtuse, somewhat crenate. Masses of capsules 
crowded, finally confluent. ^ ^ Root creeping, but stouter 
and less extended than in the preceding species (P. Dryopteris), 
Frond more firm and rigid ; its stalk more scaly about the lower 
part. All the three branches upright, smaller than the last, rigid, 
and not loosely spreading. Masses of capsules more crowded, 
finally in some degree confluent, and of a browner hue.”f Sad- 
ler admits this species with doubt, and other continental authors, 
with one or two exceptions, have left it unnoticed. Our British 
authors. Hooker and Babington, admit it as a species ; the latter 
gives the following description, which, it may be observed, com- 
prises diagnostics of more value than any pointed out by Bolton 
or Smith. “ Fronds subternate, glandular -mealy, lower branches 
pinnate ; pinnae pinnatifid, obtuse, the uppermost nearly entire j 
* Bolt. Fil. p. 53. 
f Eng-. Flor. iv. 270. 
