96 
THE FERN FAMILIES OF BRITAIN. 
up seemingly fertile fronds; but, we believe, the spores fail 
to perfect, as is the case in many of these extremely divided 
forms, the requisite vigour apparently running to leafage. 
B. S. ramo-cristatum (branch-crested), Druery (8). Raised 
from ramo-cristatum (Maunder). An exceedingly robust form, 
divided and crested in same way as the parent, but on an 
altogether larger and more luxuriant scale. Size possibly is the 
only difference, but that is striking. This bears spores pro- 
fusely, and in its turn has yielded some offspring of different 
character, four or five distinct types resulting from one 
sowing amongst, strange to relate, considering the advanced 
variation of the parents, fully 90 per cent, of absolutely 
common Hard Ferns, between which and the best types there 
are grades ranging from the merest rudiment of a crest up to 
densely crested and divided types surpassing the parent, but 
which at date of writing are mostly too young to christen. 
One form is figured (6). It is to be observed that, various 
as the grades are, each plant is true throughout, even where 
the variation is extremely slight. 
