THE COMMON HARD FERN. 221 
from the shortening of the segments, and the apex becomes almost 
caudate. This variety was first noticed by Mr. Francis, from 
Westmoreland fronds communicated by Miss Beever. It has been 
found more recently by Mr. F. Clowes, near Bleak Holme, Win- 
dermere, and the plants in cultivation from this source prove 
very constant and beautiful; by Dr. Allchin, in Ireland; by Mr. 
A. Stansfield, near Greenhursthey in the Vale of Todmorden, and 
by the same gentleman, in company with Mr. Holmes, in the valley 
ofthe Conway, near Llanrwst. It also appears to have been found 
a few years since near Halıfax. [Plate XCV B.] 
9. coneinnum (M.). A neat and elegant form. The fronds are 
six to nine inches long, irregular in growth, the lower part linear 
with rounded segments toothed at the ends, while in the upper 
part the segments are longer, but unequal in length, sometimes 
obtuse, sometimes acute, here and there interrupted by the oceur- 
rence of short rounded lobes like the basal ones; the lobes appear 
to be all toothed. The fertile fronds are much depauperated, the 
lower segments, though soriferous, being scarcely at all developed, 
but forming two narrow sinuous wings close to the rachis; in the 
upper part the lobes are rather more developed, but the longest are 
scarcely one-fourth of an inch in length. It was found by Mr. 
Holmes and Mr. Stansfield, among the hills skirting the valley of 
the Conway, in North Wales, and has been communicated by 
Messrs. Stansfield. What we take for the same form has been sent 
from—Devonshire: Marwood, Rev. F. Mules; Barnstaple, C. 
Jackson. 
10. heterophyllum (Woll.). This variety, which is an interesting 
and curious form, bears each season two sorts of sterile fronds, 
either separately or together; partof them being of the usual or 
normal character, while others have the parts more or less altered 
in size and form. In these latter fronds the segments become 
either narrowed and inciso-dentate, or shortened to a semicircular 
form, with the margin ineiso-dentate ; this occurs in an unequal 
and irregular manner, though it frequently occurs that continuous 
portions of the fronds, sometimes entire fronds, bear the shortened 
segments, and are consequently linear in outline; usually, how- 
ever, these abnormal fronds are interruptedly linear, that is quite 

