146 
BRITISH FERNS. 
are brown at the base, the fronds broad and elegantly 
arched ; the scales are broad at the base, and taper to a 
fine point, shading from the dark brown centre to the 
pale transparent edge. The lower side of the pinnae is 
more developed than the upper. 
Mr. Johnson fitly likens the clusters of this noble fern 
to Corinthian columns, the caudex and base of fronds 
resembling the column and the feathery outward-arching 
foliage the capital. Its colour is sunny green, often 
shading to a delicate tint at the points of the pinnae. 
This fern, though itself accounted but a variety by 
Sir William Hooker, has ascribed to it a perfect clan of 
varieties by Mr. Moore and Mr. Lowe. 
Yar. validum is tall, with concave pinnae and crisped 
leaflets, it is a form frequently found on shady banks by 
rivers or standing water. 
Yar. interruption has some of the pinnae dwarfed and 
shortened, as occurs in other species. 
Yar. pygm&um is, as its name indicates, a dwarf form ; 
its distinguishing characteristic is that the lowest pair 
of pinnules at the base of the frond are divided and all 
the rest are confluent ; it is an unattractive plant. 
Var. tanacetifolium has large triangular fronds, the 
foliage much divided, and the stems scaly and arched ; 
a very handsome form. 
Var. Howardii stands pre-eminent for peculiarity as 
tanacetifolium for beauty. Its lower pinnse are of normal 
shape and structure, but they become curiously dwarfed 
and distorted higher up, and are everywhere freely 
dotted with sori. This variety is found in the woods at 
Castle Howard. 
The other varieties are called lepidotum , lepidum , cris- 
taium, ramosum } glandulosum y tenerum , crispum , and 
Chant erice. 
