146 BRITISH FERNS.— SUB-ORDER II. TRIBE IO. 
and crispum. Further, when I came to reside at Shirenewton 
Hall, I brought a superb collection of Scolopendriums to this place, 
which were unfortunately planted in an unsuitable situation ; and 
the result was that every one of them (even the most ramose 
or most rugose forms) became as normal as the common Harts- 
tongue. Several years later some' were removed into a better 
situation, and in three years they had returned to their original 
varietal forms. Two years ago the remainder were treated in a 
similar manner, and are now assuming their original characters. 
This is strong presumptive evidence, that the following may really 
belong to one species. 
Nephrodium spinulosum has been divided into three sections, 
viz. 
Section a. aemulum. 
„ j 3 . alpinum. 
„ y. dilatation 
Section a. yEMULUM. (Hay-scented Fern.) 
The distinctive characters are dwarfness, crispy fronds, and 
scent like new-mown hay, the last character being said to be 
unlike any other species ; but here, where the Brake is commonly 
cut as a substitute for straw, the scent, when freshly cut, is even 
more powerful than that of cemuhim. 
Varieties. 
1. aemulum, Swar/z (Lastraea aemula, Brackenridge j L. foenisecii, 
Watson ; L. recurvum, Newman). A beautiful crispy fern, so 
strong as to be difficult to break, either in the leafy or stem 
portion. Found in Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Gloucester (Boyle), 
Flereford, Shropshire, York, Lancaster, Cumberland, Northumber- 
land, Glamorgan, Pembroke, Anglesea, Merioneth, Carnarvon, 
Forfar, Dumbarton, Argyle, Inverness, Arran, Mull, North Uist, 
Orkney, Guernsey, Antrim, Londonderry, Donegal, Mayo, Galway, 
Wicklow, Waterford, Clare, Cork, Derry, Louth, Armagh, Tyrone, 
Fermanagh, Cavan, Sligo, and Leitrim. 
2. arigustipinnulum, Moore. Found at Antrim by Mr. D. 
Moore, and in Co. Down by Mr. W. H. Phillips. In this the 
secondary pinnules are more confluent : and the lobes are irregularly 
shortened. 
3. capitatum, Lojve. Found in Hackness Wood by my son, 
the late Colonel A. E. Lawson Lowe. Crested and conspicuously 
capitate. 
*4. cristatum, Jones. Found in North Devon by Mr. Gill. 
Well crested ; rather dwarf. 
5. interruptum, Clapham. Found at Hackness both by the 
late Mr. Clapham and myself, and subsequently in the same 
locality by my son. Fronds depauperate ; pinna: and pinnules 
shortened and misshapen. 
6. ramosum, Clapham. Found by the late Mr. Clapham. 
Twin fronds from the base. 
