










54 THE BRITISH FERNS. 
variety, having fronds a foot long, exclusive of the stipes. They are 
bipinnate, with distant pinne, the apex being developed into a large 
multifid-erispy head broader than the frond. This great terminal 
head and the small size of the tufts on the pinne are the characters 
that distinguish the variety, The pinne up to the very base 
of the tuft terminate in small inconspicuous tassels, the lower 
pinnules being short oblong and blunt. The terminal tuft measures 
from its base to its extremity about three inches and a half, and in 
width about five inches ; it is made up of a dense crowd of segments 
forming a roundish crispy mass. This very marked variety was 
found in Somersetshire : near Nettlecombe, by Mr. Elworthy, and at 
Huish-Campflower, near Wiveliscombe, by Mr. J. Morse. 
63. depauperatum (Woll.). A remarkable monstrosity with 
tasselled fronds, differing from most of the foregoing in its being 
of unsymmetrieal development. The fronds are from eight inches 
to a foot high, their apex deeply lacerated or split up into numerous 
segments forming a largish corymbiform head or tassel. The pinnee 
are also tasselled in the same way, with finely cut lacerate narrow 
segments; below the tassel they are depauperated, laciniated, and 
irregular; the pinnules also being. very irregular, bluntly toothed, 
and frequently altogether wanting. The sori are often abortive. 
It is a very rare variety, and was, it appears, found many years 
since near Ben Bulben in Sligo, Ireland, by Mr. J. Gunning, 
who was at that time foreman in the Dublin College Botanic 
Garden: from whence it was distributed by Dr. J. T. Mackay. 
There appear to be two slightly varying forms in cultivation: 
one in which the tassel is ragged, with loose narrow segments, 
the other having a somewhat fuller and more compact tassel. 
It is possible these differences may have resulted from propa- 
gation by spores. [Plate LXIV A.—Folio ed. t. XXXIV B.] 
64. acrocladon (Claph.). This is a dwarf eurly tufted form resem- 
bling crispum, but differing obviously in the ends of the divisions 
growing out into narrow projecting points. Being a plant of 
variously branched habit, no two fronds are quite alike; we shall 
therefore describe the most perfectly developed of those before us. 
This frond is six or seven inches high, branched at the base of the 
stipes. One of the two principal branches bears two lateral branches 

