THE LADY FERN. j 31 
late, deeply pinnatifid into large distant lobes which point forwards, 
and are irregularly and coarselytoothed. The sori are remarkably 
large and mostly hippocrepiform or hamate. It was found by 
Mr. S. Appleby, in the neighbourhood of Doncaster, Yorkshire. 
17. dareoides (M.). This very singular variety was discovered in 
1854, near Castle Kelly, in the county of Dublin, Ireland, by Dr. 
Kinahan, who describes the pinnules to be pinnatifid, the indenta- 
tions or lobes being entire at their edges, and bearing the sori in 
the angle, so that the spore+cases project beyond the edge of the 
frond; this, added to the bulging forwards of the substance of the 
pinnule, gives the plant much the appearance of a Darea, differing, 
however, from that sub«genus in the real structure of the fructifi- 
cation, though the segments often bear but a single vein and sorus. 
The Irish plant seems very rare, and is only known to us from the 
above memoranda, communicated by Mr. Wollaston, who, at first, 
through some misconception, named it davallioides. A very elegant 
form communicated from Todmorden, by Mr. Stansfield, is, however, 
no doubt the same variety, especially as it agrees in the very remark- 
able character of producing in parts of the fronds only a single vein 
and sorus in the segments. The specimen of this lying before us 
is about one foot and a quarter long (stipes wanting), nine inches 
broad, ovate-lanceolate, the pinn approximate, the pinnules rather 
distant. The pinne are broadish linear-oblong, tapering to a 
longish point, and overlap each other. . The pinnules are distinct, 
ovate-oblong, deeply pinnatifid, with narrow lobes toothed only at 
the end, and very open sinuses. Some of these lobes have only a 
single vein, with the sorus on a short fork near the base; others have 
from two to four branch veins. The sori are small, and form a 
single row on each side of and near to the costa, and just abutting 
on the sinus. It is a very curious and distinct plant. 
18. incisum (Hoffm.). This form or variety represents the species 
in one of its highest states of development, the pinnules being often 
so deeply divided that the fronds become almost tripinnate. Tt is 
usualy a large growing plant, with broad drooping feathery and 
very handsome fronds. Three to four feet.is not am uncommon 
height for it. In one example now before us, the height is about 
five feet, and the breadth one foot, the pinne which are ascending 

