June 8. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
187 
naturalists who frequented this interesting spot, or that the 
locale was unfavourable, I cannot say, but I could not again 
find them; that they never increased is quite evident. In 
referring once again to Knockangin, I should observe, that 
it was on this strand where Scalaria Turtoni was first 
noticed, and which was named after Dr. Turton, who had 
done so much to elucidate the science of Conchology.” 
Dr. Kinalran presented to the society a number of 
specimens of II. pisanta, which he had, in company with Mr. 
Montgomery, collected on this coast early in March last. 
Dr. Kinalian corroborated Dr. Farran’s statement of their 
extremely local occurrence, and of the narrow slips they 
were confined to in those localities. Dr. Kinahan’s spo 
cimens presented great variableness of character — some 
; pure white, destitute of bands. The young shells were 
i carinated, and some were extremely large, equalling the 
j specimens he had seen in the British Museum, obtained 
fi'om Corsica. 
Dr. Kinahan then gave his paper “ On. the abnormal 
' forms of Ferns ”—concluded. “ Since I last had the honour of 
I addressing you, I have, through the kindness of its owner, 
I had the opportunity of examining a most extensive collec- 
! tion both of growing plants and dried specimens in the 
! possession of G. B. Wollaston, Esq.; this has enabled me 
! to add several species and even genera to the two divisions 
f treated of at our last meeting. The genera are Cystopteris 
| and Adiantum, additional to the Subvar. Multifidum, in¬ 
cluding under them three species which, with Hymen- 
ophyllem Wilsoni also added by him, makes up the 
j number still further. To the number of species in the 
variety Ramosnm, I have not obtained any additions, but 
| in his collection may be found a most perfect series of forms 
| illustrative of this monstrosity, and well worthy of study, 
exemplifying in a beautiful manner every gradation of it in 
j almost all the organs of the plant, from the mere simple 
I renate division of the frond in the form called Briermiforme, 
up to the extreme forms of division recorded on the last 
| day. Thus much for these types. To night I propose to 
' conclude the subject, by considering the analogies of the 
i remaining Abnormal forms of Filices. 
“Since first I attempted this, so many additional species of 
{ these have been brought forward, that without any difficulty 
j we can accomplish a division only hinted at then, viz.— 
i separate them into four classes, i. e. two varieties, and 
two subvarities instead of one of each. For these I suggest 
to employ names other from those used on that occasion, 
as there were many objections to the names then used. 
The first, comprised under my old named Cambricum, I 
I mean to call Dissectum, the Subvariety I call Simiatum 
! still, but limit its definition: Dissectum variety; Frond 
; generally more developed than normal; edged both primary 
and secondary crenately or irregularly lobed and unsym- 
metrical; segments rounded at ends; their edges curled 
I and crisped and confluent, generally barren. Nervures 
1 terminating within leafy expansion and distinct throughout 
their whole course. Examples—As Trichomanes var. in¬ 
cision Cten. vulgaris vr. Cambricum (Linn). (This division 
j includes so much of my variety Cambricum as had the 
| parts of the plant in excess.) Linnatum, Subvar. Frond 
l mostly more luxuriant than Normal. Segments irregularly 
\ lobed and serrated, pointed, and distinct; generally unsym- 
: metrical. Outline pointed and distinct; fruitful. Nervures 
terminating within leafy expansion. Examples—As Tricho¬ 
manes, subvar. Simiatum (Mei) Cten vulgare var. Hiber- 
nicum Maokaii (Auct.). These forms are essentially 
modifications of a secondary axis (generally the vents and 
j venales which we find multiplied and divided but not 
| symmetrically as a whole)', and [consists in the excessive 
unsymmetrical development of some one or other. It is 
often difficult to separate this variety from the variety 
Ramosum, especially in simple fronds; but we have a 
valuable guide in one character^ which prevails almost 
through the entire—the barrenness of the frond, a character 
so universal in the class it might almost be adopted as 
distinctive. In some species this may be explained by the 
modification the veins undergo, the vein, which should be 
merely forked and bear the spore case, becoming branched 
and barren, as is seen in Ctenoptevis vulgare. The number 
of species in which it is found is rather limited, though, 
doubtless, if investigation be made, others will turn up. 
The sub-variety is fertile, the same modification not taking 
place in the venation. There is a great latitude of modifies- I 
tions in the forms composed under Simiatum, from the j 
simple irregularly crcnate frond up to divisions almost as 
well marked as those with which you are familiar in the ! 
Polvpodium cambricum of Linnreus. Under this group we 
find an illustration of a previous observation, that a sub- 
variety and a variety are sometimes found in accidental 
combination, with this limit, that, as far as I know, the 
parallel sub-groups are never found so. For example, you 
will find variety Dissectum in combination with sub-variety 
Multifidum, but never Dissectum in combination with 
Simiatum, or Ramosum in combination with Multifidum. 
How far varieties combine with one another I am not 
prepared to state. The next sub-group comprises the latter 
portion of my old Cambricum, or that in which the parts 
of the original type are found contracted. For this and its 
sub-variety it is proposed to use the names Laciniatum and 
Truncatum—both names suggested to me by Mr. Wollaston. 
They consist essentially in the absence of some organ or 
part of the plant, and bear the following definition :— 
Laciniatum variety, frond less developed than normal, often 
reduced to a mere midrib. Pinnae and pinnules contracted, 
often reduced to a mere line, or absent epidermis, normal 
or puckered, sinuated and thickened at its margins, often 
ending in a hem within the edge of the frond. Edges of 
the frond generally waved and cut. Nervures generally 
produced beyond, or else terminating abruptly in the 
margin of the leafy expansion ; outline linear not curled or 
crisped. Veins often very irregular in their distribution, 
often crossing one another in their course. Generally 
fruitful. Examples—Pol. Angulare (var. strictum—K) ; 
Phyl. scolopendium, var. marginatum, (Wol) Truncatum, 
sub-variety—frond contracted; segments either lobed or 
reduced to a mere midrib; generally symmetrical; the 
apices of the pinnse and pinnules often truncated, and 
these unsymmetrical; nervures as in laciniatum ; generally 
barren. Examples—Am. ruta murami sub var. truncata 
(K.) These groups, especially the variety, present a most 
extraordinary variety of forms, agreeing all in the one 
character of absence of some nominal part of the fern. 
They appear to be divided into several groups according to 
the element affected, but unfortunately we do not always Sind 
the same element affected two successive years. The 
general type of the class is always adhered to, one year 
the deficiency occurring in one set of elements, and the next 
perhaps in another; however, when the substance of the 
frond is present, we find it cut and lobed, though sometimes 
it is entirely wanting. The following, or in fact any of the 
elemental parts of the fern, may bo wanting. The green 
coloring matter, the frond, variegated and lobed on the 
edges, as Ph. Scol. our subvarigatum (Wol) Aspm. A. N : 
var. variegatum (W.) The substance of frond either in 
part; the frond lobed in various ways; or entirely their 
pinnie and pinnules or frond itself reduced to mere lines, as 
Pol, Ang : var strictum (Nill). The epidermis deficient in 
some way. Its edges scalloped and tucked, often pitted and 
thickened. The apices ending in a spur of fibres as in the 
forms marginatum, &c., of Phyl. Scol. and Lomaria, spicant 
var. marginatum (W.) In fact every conceivable variety of 
deficiency occurs, and renders the study of numerous 
examples of this class necessary for the comprehension of 
the whole. This variety is much less permanent under 
cultivation than either of the others, but still sufficiently so I 
to be distinguished from the sub-variety. Some of its forms , 
are most beautifully symmetrical, in so much that they 
have been mistaken for species, as the Polystichum, found 
at Kew, with angularly linear leaflets, which bears the name 
of Angustatum, and has the habit of producing bulbillfe 
in the axils of its leaves, a habit also of a beautiful example 
of this group exhibited by me before your society in 1850, 
in a plant of Pol. angulare. The Kew plant, or at least 
those plants shown me as such, 1 believe to belong to Pol. 
aculeatum, an opinion I know at variance with the generally 
received one. The proceeding remarks also in a great 
measure apply to the sub-variety, in which we find the 
same irregularities of form—the same occasional sym¬ 
metrical arrangement of parts—the same tendency to a 
viviparous reproduction. The sub-variety in this group is, 
however, much seldomer fertile than the variety ; it is also j 
