HISTORY OF INTRODUCTION OF EXOTIC FERNS. 17 
speculation, and who was the first to introduce the 
beautiful Veronica speciosa. Others have also been 
sent from New Zealand by the Rev. William Colenso, 
and by the late Dr. Sinclair, R.N., the beautiful little 
Trichomanes reniforme being one of those due to the 
latter gentleman. 
Turning next to the West Indies, we commence 
with the island of Jamaica, whence more Ferns have 
been received at Kew than from any other part of 
the Western hemisphere. The person to whose 
energy and perseverance this is mainly due is Mr. 
Nathaniel Wilson, the Island botanist and Director 
of the Botanic Garden. He has been a resident 
in the island for upwards of twenty years, and 
■during that time has thoroughly explored the Blue 
Mountains and other districts rich in Ferns, liberally 
forwarding to Kew the results of his numerous 
journeys. Among his earliest contributions was the 
beautiful Tree-fern, Cyathea arborea, which, though 
recorded in the “ Hortns Kewensis ” as having been 
brought home by Admiral Bligh in 1793, had long 
been lost to our gardens. Within the last few years 
he has succeeded, after many failures, in transmitting 
numerous species of Trichomanes and Hymenoplryllum, 
•which now form so conspicuous a feature in the 
present rich collection. The other contributors from 
the same island are, in 1851, Mr. George Manson, 
and in 1854 and following years, W. T. March, Esq., 
the latter gentleman sending several arborescent 
species as well as Hymenophyllece, and others. 
Numerous fine species, including several Cyatheas 
nnd Alsophilas, were received in 1855 and 1856 from 
the French island of Martinique, where they had been 
c 
