

40 THE BRITISH FERNS. 
the frond ; they are deeply pinnatifid generally, the basal ones quite 
Pinnate, the divisions being distant, narrow and taper-pointed, the 
larger ones toothed at the sides. The sori are everywhere copious. 
Other fronds are produced, in which the attenuation of the parts is 
less manifest, the pinnules being pyramidal acute, nearly three-fourths 
of an inch long, deeply pinnatifid, with an enlarged anterior basal 
lobe, the lobes narrow and acutely-toothed, but not taper-pointed, 
In the deep cutting of the pinnules and the enlarged anterior basal 
lobes these fronds resemble avum. The plant was raised as an acci- 
dental seedling, in the garden of Mr. J. H. Sclater, of Newick Park, 
near Uckfield, Sussex. 
Abnormal and Multifid Series. 
. 98. premorsum (M.). This curious dwarf and as yet barren 
form was found by Dr. Dickie on Ben-Mac-d'hui, at an altitude of 
3700 feet, in 1846, and has since that time proved constant under 
cultivation. The fronds, which rarely attain a height of eight 
inches, are of an irregular lanceolate outline. The pinnee are very 
unequal and blunt, scarcely pinnate. The pinnules or lobes are 
oblong or roundish, decurrent or confluent, unequal in size, and 
often irregularly lacerate as if they had been partially eaten by an 
insect. It is exceedingly rare, but has no other interest, being 
exceedingly ugly. "This form. may possibly be found to belong to 
Polypodium alpestre, when its fructification is ascertained. 
34. irregulare (M.). A curious variety, remarkable for the irre- 
gular nature of its development. The pinn are distant, furnished 
in their upper half with linear-lanceolate acute incised normal- 
looking pinnules three-fourths of an inch long, those on the lower 
half (except sometimes the basal anterior one, which is long and 
narrow), very much though irregularly shortened, frequently roundish 
or fan-shaped and pinnatifid, with serrated lobes ; sometimes inter- 
mixed with these shortened pinnules are other longer ones, approach- 
ing the normal character. It was found in 1854 in Belvoir Woods, 
Rutlandshire, by Mrs. Rogers. Similar plants have been met with 
by Dr. Allchin at Virginia Water, Surrey, in Black Park, Buck- 
inghamshire, and in the Isle of Man; and we have received the 
same variety slightly modified in form from Mr. A. Clapham, by 

