4 
90 THE FERN FAMILIES OF BRITAIN. 
A. F.-f. plum, cristatum superbum (superb-crested) 
(Plate I., 4), by far tbe most beautiful plumose Atbyrium yet 
raised, an altogether new character being developed in con- 
junction with the plumose. A reference to Plate I. will show, 
in a very clear way, how, in three generations, this last form 
has been evolved in three strides from the common Lady 
Pern, also figured for comparison (Plate I., 1). 
A. F.-f. plum, divaricatum (divaricate). A distinct plumose 
form in which the spring fronds are much more leafy than the 
later ones. Upon this variety bulbils also appear in conjunc- 
tion with the spores. 
A. F.-f. plum, multifidum (much-cleft). A finely tasselled 
variety of the Axminster ^lumosum. 
A. F.-f. plumosum, Barnes. Very finely cut plumose form; 
spores extremely rare. The most barren plumosum yet found in 
this family. 
A. F.-f. Fritcbardii (Pritchard’s). Same as Fieldice, but 
fronds taper ofi to a point. "Very apt to revert more or less 
to common form. 
A. F.-f. pulcherrimum (very beautiful) (9). Rightly named 
beautiful; pinnse very wide and tapering to an acute point; 
pinnules delicately subdivided and finely saw-toothed. 
A. F.-f. ramulosissima (many-branched). Fronds branch 
many times close to base, each thus forming a fan-shaped 
bunch of fronds with numerous crested tips ; pinnse crested 
also. 
A. F.-f. reilexum (reflexed). All the pinnules are curved 
backwards, forming the pinnse into tapering tubes with curled 
tips. Yery curious, but hardly beautiful. 
A. F.-f. regale (royal). An extremely fine form, with finely- 
cut cresting throughout, raised by Mr. Barnes. 
A. F.-f. setigerum (bristle-bearing). Fronds so finely 
divided that the ultimate divisions are like bristles — whence the 
name ; very handsome, uncrested. The spores of this form 
yield crested plants, which, however, almost invariably revert, 
sooner or later, to the parent form. 
A. F.-f. set. cristatum (crested). A constant crested 
seedling of above. 
