204 
ASPIDIACE^. 
Lastr^a cristata, Presl, Babington. 
Aspidium cristatum, Smith, Hooker. 
This is one of our most local ferns, occurring only on boggy 
heaths, and confined, as far as Great Britain is concerned, to 
four English counties. 
Cheshire. — Mr. Finder had the good fortune to discover this 
fern in Wybunbury bog, in this county, and has supplied me 
liberally with specimens. 
Norfolk. — The Rev. R. B. Francis was, I believe, the disco- 
verer of this fern in Norfolk, in the year 1805 ; it was growing 
among furze-bushes by the side of a drain ; it has since been 
found in abundance at Edgefield by Mr. Wigham, and on Baw- 
sey heath, near Lynn, by Mr. Ewing, the Rev. Mr. Mumford, 
and Mr. Burlingham : it grows intermixed with the common 
ling, and is shaded by a few young alder trees. Mr. Burling- 
ham, of Lynn, discovered a fourth Norfolk station in 1841 ; it 
is near the village of Dersingham, between seven and eight miles 
from Lynn, on the road to Hunstanton : in this station there are 
fewer roots, and it does not grow so luxuriantly as at Bawsey, 
probably owing to there being less moisture and no shade, as 
here it grows among ling unaccompanied by alders. I have to 
acknowledge my obligation to the Botanical Society of London, 
and to Mr. S. P. Woodward, for a fine series of specimens. 
Nottinghamshire. — In this county it was first discovered by 
Dr. Howitt at Oxton bogs, and has since been found at the same 
locality by Mr. Riley, Mr. Quekett, Mr. Sidebotham, and seve- 
ral other botanists : Mr. Sidebotham has also observed it at 
Bulwell marshes. I am indebted to Mr. Riley and Mr. Kippist 
for specimens from this county. 
Suffolk. ~ Sir J. E. Smith records that it was gathered by 
Mr. Davy on bogs amongst alder bushes, at Westleton, in this 
county.^ I do not possess specimens. 
Mr. Mackay gives this fern as a native of Ireland, f and Sir W. 
Hooker as a native of Scotland. J I have seen no specimens 
from either of these countries. 
* Eng. Flor. iv. 300. | Flor. Hibern. 340. HooV. Flor. Scot. ii. 154. 
