THE LADY FERN. ANZ 
The plant is common all over England, and abundant, though 
perhaps less so, in Scotland and Wales, whilst in Ireland it is of 
very frequent occurrence, and the Northern, Western, and Channel 
Islands all produce it. In elevation its range extends from the coast 
level to an altitude of about 3000 feet, in the Highlands of Scot- 
land. Itis an exceedingly variable species, but the common forms, 
such as molle, incisum, and rheticum, with the intermediate states, are 
widely dispersed and sufficiently frequent to lead to the conviction 
that they are general in their occurrence. Though assuming so 
many forms, we believe the species to be by no means fickle ; for, 
most of the forms which have been introduced to cultivation, and 
they are not a few, are quite constant. The variety rhwticum, which 
occurs all over Great Britain and Ireland, and is found in its charac- 
teristie form in more or less exposed boggy situations, is, perhaps, 
theone most liable to ehange when submitted to opposite influences, 
but even this is generally distinguishable from the form called 
incisum, to which it approaches under the influence of shade and 
shelter. The singular monstrous forms in which the Lady Fern. 
masquerades, are remarkable for their elegance as well as for their 
permanence, and are valuable on account of the variety they afford 
as cultivated plants. The following is a sketch of its distribution :— 
Peninsula.—Cornwall : Travenna, &e. Devonshire: Ilfracombe, 
various forms, Rev. J. M. Chanter; Salterton ; Dartmoor (molle), Rev. 
C. Trelawny; Marwood (molle, trifidum), Rev. F. Mules; Barnstaple 
(trifidum), C. Jackson; Exeter (trifidum), R. J. Gray. Somersetshire : 
Bristol ; Nettlecombe ; Inglishcombe Wood (trifidum), R. Withers. 
Channel.—Isle of Wight. Hampshire: Basingstoke (trifidum), 
F. Y. Brocas; Mapledurham, near Petersfield, J. Goodyer, 1633. 
Dorsetshire. Wiltshire : Alderbury Common, Salisbury (trifidum, 
molle), W. Moore. Sussex: near Tunbridge Wells; Tilgate Forest, 
and elsewhere. 
Thames.= Hertfordshire. Middlesex. Kent: Tunbridge Wells 
(molle), Mrs. Delves ; (trifidum), Miss Bower. Surrey: Portnall Park, 
Virginia Water; Bagshot (molle), P.. F. Keir; Shirley; Mayford 
(molle, trifidum) ; Gomshall, and other parts. Berkshire: Windsor 
Park. Buckinghamshire: Black Park. Oxfordshire. Essex. 
VOL. II, C 

