
32 THE BRITISH FERNS. 
being quite nine inches long, and the pinnules an inch and a half 
long, and five-eighths of an inch wide at the base. This variety, as 
might be expected in so compound a plant, puts on many appear- 
ances, but in one or other of its conditions, is not infrequent. The 
fronds are broad lanceolate ; the pinnæ broad oblong, tapering to a 
slender point; the pinnules linear-lanceolate, distinct, deeply 
pinnatifid, the lobes somewhat distant forming open sinuses, and 
toothed at the margin and apex. The sori are abundant, and form 
a line near the midrib, and are more or less continued up the larger 
lobes. The plant is by no means uncommon, and is widely distri- 
buted. We have specimens from—Cornwall : Penryn, G. Dawson. 
Devonshire: Marwood, Rev. F. Mules; Bittadon, F. M. Somer- 
setshire: Nettlecombe, C. Elworthy. Surrey : Mayford, T. M. 
Worcestershire : Daylesford, H. Buckley. Herefordshire, G. Dale. 
Pembrokeshire: Castle Malgwyn, W. Hutchison. Edinburghshire : 
Pentland Hills. Donegal: Killybegs, R. Barrington. Mayo: 
Westport, R. B.; Ballyeroy, R. B. Wicklow: Glencullen, R. B. ; 
Glen of the Downs, R. B. Dublin: Three-rock mountain, R. B. ; 
Glen near Kingstown, R. B. ; Glendruid, R. B. Kerry: Killarney, 
N. B. Ward. [Plate LVI.] 
19. decompositum (M.). This may be considered as a super-elegant 
form of incisum, in which the fronds are quite tripinnate. The 
pinnules are divided quite down to the midrib at the base, and the 
short oblong blunt secondary pinnules thus formed, are toothed along 
their sides, or sometimes pinnatifid with toothed lobes. It is this 
greater amount of division, the complete separation of the secondary 
pinnules, which distinguishes this form from incisum.: It is certainly, 
with one exception, the most beautiful among the normal forms which 
the Lady Fern assumes. We have seen this form from— Cornwall : 
Penryn, G. Dawson. Somersetshire: Nettlecombe, C. Elworthy. 
Kent: Chislehurst. G. B. Wollaston. Hampshire: Basingstoke, 
F. Y. Brocas. Worcestershire: Daylesford, H. Buckley. Den- 
bighshire: Ruthin, 7. Pritchard. Clare: Lisdoonvarna, R. Bar: 
rington. ` [Plate LVI, left hand figure]. 
20. plumosum (M.). This is the most remarkable and beautiful 
form of hardy fern that has been discovered in the British Isles— 
beautiful on account of the singular lightness and elegance of its 

