
















100 THE BRITISH FERNS. 
8. acutum (M.). This is a large growing variety, remarkable for 
its elongated and acute-pointed pinn®. The fronds are from one to 
two feet long, distantly pinnate, and lax. The pinn® average about 
an inch and a half in length, and are broadest at the base, where 
they are truncate; they are aurieled on the anterior, cuneate on the 
posterior side, and narrow gradually towards the apex, which is 
sharp-pointed, the margin being crenate, or sometimes doubly cre- 
nate. Considerable variety in texture, outline, and toothing occurs, 
and the pinne are sometimes straight, sometimes falcate. This 
form has been found in— Guernsey, and Jersey, C. Jackson. Devon- 
shire: Plymouth Hoe, J. Bauker; Dartmouth Castle; Croyde, 
J. R. Chanter. Some fronds from the latter habitat, are remark- 
ably narrow in the pinn®, tapered both to the base and apex, 
biserrate or in some places lobed with the lobes serrate, and some- 
times branched in the rachis. [Plate LXXIV D.] 
9. assimile (M.). This form has acute elongated pinne similar to 
those of acutum; and these pinne are either divided along the margin 
into coarse deeply separated rounded crenately-toothed lobes, or are 
somewhat less deeply lobed, and more strongly auriculate. In the 
former case, the pinne resemble those of the Australasian Asple- 
nium caudatum, and in the latter the West Indian Asplenium 
auritum. The fronds are a foot or more in length; and the pinnae 
are often two inches long, gradually narrowing from the truncately- 
auricled, somewhat cuneate base; the marginal lobes are separated by 
acute open sinuses. It occurs in two or three forms in the Channel 
Islands, but the most strongly marked specimens .we have seen, 
resembling Asplenium caudatum, were from Galway. It may be 
considered as a deeply lobed condition of the var. acutum. 
10. sub-bipinnatum (M.). This is the most divided and distinct 
variety of this species yet discovered. The fronds are of moderate 
size, the largest we have seen being about seven inches long, and 
two and a half inches broad. The pinne, which are distinct, and 
stand more distant from the rachis than usual, having a somewhat 
obliquely cuneate base, are deeply pinnatifid throughout ; the basal 
anterior lobes, which are the largest, are almost separated down to 
the costa, and these lobes are of a narrow oval outline, obscurely 
serrated on the margin. The other lobes are shorter, but narrow, 

