THE BLACK MAIDENHAIR SPLEENWORT. 85 
Jersey on the authority of M. Piquet; and a specimen from Combe 
Royal, South Devon,.sent by Miss Hoseason, approaches it very 
nearly. Sherard's plant from the Mourne Mountains in Down, the 
Asplenium Adiantum-nigrum, B. of Sir J. E. Smith, and identified 
with acutum by Mr. Newman, is not referrible here, but to Athyrium 
Filix-feemina (see p. 37). Mr. Maw mentions that it prefers the drier 
parts of moist woods, occurring in situations where the tree-growth 
is not very dense. [Plate LXXIT.] 
2. obtusatum (M.). This may be considered as a less developed 
though matured condition of the species, than that which we have 
regarded as typical. It is a comparatively small and dwarf plant, 
and assumes an ovate-acuminate rather than a triangular outline; 
some specimens are not more than two inches high, and others very 
marked in character are six or eight inches high. The smaller 
specimens are scarcely bipinnate; the pinns are short and bluntly 
triangular ; the pinnules are roundish-obovate, and very indistinetly 
toothed. The larger examples are tripinnate, with their primary 
and secondary pinnules corresponding with the pinne and pinmules 
of the small specimens. It is probably not uncommon, specimens 
from the three kingdoms being before us. This form is less defined 
than some others, the smaller states of the common form occasionally 
approaching it very closely, but as it occurs under different phases, 
it seems to claim recognition, at least as a variety of secondary im- 
portance. Thus, though often scarcely bipinnate, we have received. 
from Mr. D. Moore specimens from Antrim, Ireland, which though 
tripinnate are clearly referrible here. The other specimens we have 
seen are from :- Kent: Sandgate, S. O. Gray. Devon: Torquay, 
Miss E. Burmester. Yorkshire: Wensleydale, C. H. Compton. 
Stirlingshire: near Stirling, Mrs. Macleod. Argyleshire: Ardrishiag, 
T. M. Ireland: Newtown Castle, Dr. Alichin; Foynes, Mrs. Bar- 
rington ; foot of Slieve More, Dugort, Isle of Achill, R. Barrington. 
Guernsey, G. Wolsey. [Plate LXXI A.] 
3. leptorachis (M.). This is a small-fronded elegant form remark- 
able for the length of its stipes and the small size of the parts of its 
frond. The stipes is about seven inches long, slender; the rachis 
also is slender; the leafy portion. or lamina is about three inches 
long, ovate, shortly acuminate, tripinnate ; the pinne alternate, the 

