77 
man’s hand, or the palm of a brow antler of a deare,* bear- 
ing neither stalke, floure,t nor seed.” He is incorrect in 
stating that there is no fructification, as our plants are fruit- 
bearing, but the clusters are not so large as in the ordinary- 
form. This is an elegant variety, and in a damp, shady 
situation thrives, and is improved by cultivation. It is 
found growing in Hawkchurch parish very luxuriantly. 
5. Branched Hart’s-tongue. Bamosum, Here the Hart’s- 
tongue assumes another form, and the stalk itself is branched. 
Each branch is strap-shaped until it approaches its summit, 
then it expands and resembles a little fan dividing itself into 
two or three parts, which separate again near the apex into 
sundry little segments that have a crisped and curled 
appearance. As in the others, so here, the mid-rib divides 
and runs into the respective lobes, and the clusters of spores 
are on both sides of these ribs. The stalk is of a dark pur- 
ple colour, and the scales much the same as with the typical 
plant. This, too, is a handsome plant, and in a damp, shady 
border, where no fiower would grow, would be no despicable 
ornament to a garden or shrubbery. It has been found in 
Hawkchurch parish. 
6. Simply Branched Hart’s-tongue. Simpliciter ramosum. 
This also has its stalk branched. As it is very different 
from the last, it seems best to assign it a distinct name. 
The segments at the topmost part of the preceding, have a 
curled appearance. Here there are no segments whatever 
in that part of the frond, neither are they curled. The 
forms of the leaves are most grotesque. Sometimes each 
leaf is kidney-shaped, sometimes as round as a penny, with 
a gash in the middle, sometimes a mis-shapen triangle. 
Some plants have their leaves so formed that at first they 
rise up as it were in a straight column, and then bend their 
arms right and left, tapering to a point. It would be end- 
less to describe all the changes and frolics of nature in this 
plant. Even the old Herbalists had their Einger Hart’s- 
tongue, and their Mule’s Eern, and the Small Moon Eern, 
and the Handed Moon Eern, and most of these represented 
as growing in England. Are we then to wonder if we have 
some of these curious productions ? These strange looking 
malformations have been sent, as gathered in a lane near the 
* Deer. t Flower. 
