







38 THE BRITISH FERNS. 
pinne are distant, rather narrowed towards the base, and caudately 
acuminate. The pinnules are separated by a space equal to their 
own width or more on the very slender secondary rachides, and are 
linear-oblong, the larger and more perfect ones near the middle of 
the pinne fringed in the upper half with numerous linear acute 
teeth ; scarcely pinnatifid in the lower portion. Itis a very graceful 
variety, and was accidentally observed among plants of the Lady 
Fern in a suburban nursery, whence it passed into the hands of 
Messrs. Parker and Williams, of Holloway. The acuminate points 
of the pinne, and the linear teeth of the pinnules are still more 
evident in fronds from well established plants, than in that from 
which our figure was taken. [Plate LVIII.] 
28. dissectum (Woll.). This, and the four following varieties, 
though symmetrical in outline, have something of an abnormal charac- 
ter in the irregular development of their pinnules. The present is a 
stout-growing dwarfish variety, the fronds scarcely exceeding a foot 
in height, seven inches in width, very broadly oval, and irregular in 
appearance. The pinnœ are somewhat unequal in length, but not 
sufficiently so to affect the general outline, approximate or crowded, 
broadish to near the end, and then suddenly acuminate. The 
pinnules are rather distant, decurrent, unequal in size, and irregular 
in form, but for the most part ovate-oblong, blunt, and cut into 
distant wnequally-toothed lobes, separated by wide open sinuses. 
Mr. Wollaston considers it to “bear some analogy to premorsum, 
being irregularly jagged both in the pinn® and pinnules, but it is 
of the usual size, and fertile.” It is lax and elegant in habit; the 
pinnules decurrent and deeply and irregularly incised. It was 
found by Dr. Young in Ireland, and is rare and constant in culti- 
vation. [Plate LX C; LX, bis.—Folio ed. t. XXXIV C.] 
29. diffissum (M.). This variety is somewhat similar to dissectum, 
the pinnules being. cut in the same open irregular way. The fronds 
are about a foot and a half high, and usually broad lanceolate; the 
pinne being distinct or approximate, and tapering rather gradually 
to a narrow point. The pinnules are approximate but scarcely 
crowded, irregular in size and form, but usually oblong or ovate- 
oblong, deeply pinnatifid with unequally-toothed lobes, separated by 
an open sinus. It is a very elegant form, somewhat intermediate 

