AN ENUMERATION OF CULTIVATED FERNS. 289 
Obs. — T his remarkable Fern has lately been added to the Kew 
collection, having been sent from the Mauritius Botanic Garden 
by Mr. John Horn * In general habit and appearance this Fern 
is the prototype of Nephrolepis ; but is distinguished by the 
receptacles being laterally confluent, forming a linear marginal 
sorus, similar to that of Lindscea, from which it is, however, 
quite distinct in habit. 
81. PHEGOPTERIS. 
2*. P. plumosa, J. Sm. Asplenium Filix-foemina, var. plu- 
mosum, Moore, Nat. Print. Ferns, oct. ed. p. 56 ; 
Lowe's New Ferns, 1. 14. — Yorkshire (Mr. Stansfield). 
Obs. — A few years ago three plants of this Fern were found 
wild in Yorkshire. It was soon afterwards described and figured 
in the works above quoted, under the name of Asplenium Filix- 
foemina, var. plumosum ; but upon what grounds it was referred to 
Asplenioe I cannot explain, as all the specimens I have examined 
of it have small, punctiform, naked sori, perfectly characteristic 
of the genus Phegopteris, with which it also agrees in habit. 
This leaves me no other alternative than to consider it a species 
of that genus, and consequently a new British species. In 
doing so, the question arises as to whether it represents an 
ancient species not before noticed, or the modem result arising 
from the power of nature to generate new forms, in accordance 
with the Darwinian Theory of creation of species. It is, how- 
ever, to be observed that in abnormal or difformed states of 
Asplenium and Scolopendrium, the sori are depauperated, in 
some instances having no vestige of an indusium ; but such is 
not the case with this plant. The fronds are perfect in every 
respect, and if Herbarium specimens had been received from 
some foreign country, no Pteridologist, bn seeing the naked sori, 
would refer it to Asplenioe. 
93. ADIANTUM. 
35*. A. Gheisbeghtii, Backhouse, Cat. (?) A. tenerum, var. 
(J. Sm .). — Tropical America.f 
* Who left Kew in 1861 to be assistant to Mr. Duncan. See p. 15, 
U 
