LADY FERN. 
247 
and 7'h(Eticum^ omitting trifidum and ovatum, which indeed ap- 
pear much to resemble molle. 
By retaining all these forms under the name of Filix-femina^ 
in accordance with the views of Decandolle, Sadler, Hooker 
and Babington, I rather bow to the views of these eminent 
botanists than follow any of my own. It seems to me that three 
at least of the forms described by Roth, those adopted in the ‘Na- 
turalists’ Almanack,’ have the habit and appearance of species ; 
but at the same time I cannot say that the grounds of separation 
adduced by Roth appear to me satisfactory : neither the scales, 
involucres, nor position of the clusters of capsules, are adduced 
as evidence ; and surely, before adopting the species, we must 
learn whether these are dissimilar or identical. Roth is entitled 
to great praise for what he has done, but it is left for others to 
earn still greater praise by adducing real diagnostics to corro- 
borate his views. 
I am indebted to Miss Beever of Coniston, Miss Browne of 
Tallantire-hall near Cockermouth, Mr. Thompson of Belfast, 
Mr. Ogilby and Mr. Moore of Dublin, Mr. Gibson of Hebden 
Bridge, and Mr. H. Double day of Epping, for a great number 
of fronds from a variety of localities. 
For monstrous or deformed states of plants I have little or no 
taste ; yet there are two monstrosities of the present plant, which, 
from the remarkable character and the remarkable constancy 
of that character, should scarcely be passed over in silence. 
The first of these was found atTrevenna in Cornwall, by the late 
Rev. R. F. Bree, and I am indebted to Mr. Borrer for a frond 
from his own fernery : the divisions are irregular, but always very 
narrow and linear. The second, of which I have introduced a 
figure in the following page, is very beautiful : it occurs in se- 
veral places in Ireland. I am indebted to Mr. Ogilby, Mr. Mac- 
kay and Mr. Moore for specimens ; and I have in cultivation a 
plant nearly resembling it, which was found by Mr. Moore and 
myself in the county Wicklow. In cultivation both these forms 
retain all their peculiarities in the same way as the beautiful va- 
rieties of Polypodiwn vulgare, a fact w^hich sufficiently proves 
the necessity for care in drawing inferences as regards the value 
of species from their constancy under cultivation. 
