



























128 THE BRITISH FERNS. 
nearly resemble. It appears to be usually found in this country 
growing sparingly in company with Asplenium septentrionale. 
This rupestral Fern is one of the rarest of British species, but few 
stations and in these but few plants having been discovered. There 
are records of its having been found in North Wales, in the Lake 
District, in the extreme north of England, and in both the Low- 
lands and Highlands of Scotland. Mr. Hutchison, who found 4. 
Jontamum near Stonehaven, has informed us that it is plentiful on 
rocks almost inaccessible, near Airlie Castle, Forfarshire, but we 
have seen no specimens from thence. Its altitudinal range has been 
approximately computed at between 300 and 600 feet above the sea ; 
but it probably reaches at least an elevation of 1000 feet in Wales. 
The habitats are :— 
Peninsula.—Somersetshire: near Culborne, Miss Payne. 
N. Wales.—Denbighshire : Rocks near Llanrwst (Bwlch-y-Rhyn), 
H. Wilson; between Llanrwst and Capel Curig, Cyb. Brit. Car- 
narvonshire : Moel Lechog, Llanberris, Mr. Williams. 
Lakes. — Cumberland: Helvellyn, Rev. W. H. Hawker, F. 
Clowes; Borrowdale, Miss Wright, H. E. Smith. 
Tyne.—Northumberland : Kyloe rocks, G. R. Tate. 
E. Lowlands.—Roxburghshire : rocks two miles from Kelso on the 
Tweed, Dickson; Minto Crags near Hassendean, Dr. Nichol. Edin- 
burghshire: Arthur's Seat (Mr. S. F. Gray has a specimen so label- 
led) ; gathered within two miles of Edinburgh 1857, P. N. Fraser. 
E. Highlands.—Fifeshire : three miles from Dunfermline, Dr. 
Dewar. Perthshire: Stenton rock near Dunkeld, Dr. McNab ; 
near Perth, Mr. Bishop. ? Forfarshire: near Airlie Castle, D. 
Hutchison. 1 
The Alternate-leaved Spleenwort appears to have been found 
sparingly throughout northern and central Europe, occurring as far 
north as Helsingfors in the Gulf of Finland, and passing thence to 
Norway and Sweden, Belgium, Great Britain, France, Switzerland, 
and the Tyrol the Carpathian Mountains, Germany, Hungary, 
Bukowina, Croatia, Dalmatia, Italy, and Spain. We have no infor- 
mation of its occurrence in other parts of the world. 

