and in the little island of Trinidad, in lat. 20° S., where we effected a landing with considerable difficulty, in a rocky
cove which was cut off by precipices from aU. other parts of the island, I fomid the Ferns at the level of the sea in
the proportion of 2-3 to the phænogamic plants, and the species were the most common Brazilian ones. This
remai-kable dispai-ity between the vegetable productions of two islands so contiguous as St. Helena and Ascension,
and both so remote from any other land whatever, has some analogy to what obtains in the islands of another
isolated group, also situated -within the Tropics, though in another ocean—the Galapagos. From the examination
of an excellent herbarium formed by Mi*. Darwin in three of these islands, and of some of the plants from a fourth
island, as wed as of those collected by JL*. Douglas, Dr. Scouler, JL . JIacrae, and JL*. Ciuniiig, in the localities
also visited by JL*. DarAvin, it would appear not only that the plants of that little archipelago difi’ei* widely from
those of the main land of S. America, but that its several islets possess in some cases different genera, and more often
representative species. The Fems there bear but a small proportion to the Avhole Flora, though a more considerable
one to that of the two islands in which they are most abundant, and they are rather the common forms of the West
Indies than of the neighbouring coasts of Columbia, Pem, or of Jiexico.
The Aspidium venustum, as it gi’OAvs in the low woods of Lord Auckland’s group, is, for its size, among the most
ornamental of Feras, the larger tree-ferns alone excepted. In one respect it even excels those of more majestic
gro-wth, for its feathery fronds are spread out below the level of the eye, so that the beautiful symmetry of the crOAvn,
with its rich velvetty crosier-fomed young leaves iu the centre, is thus fully displayed.
3. A S P L E N IU J l, L .
1. A s b le n ium ohtusatum, Forst. Prodr. n. 4 30. Lab. Fl. Nov. Holl. v. 2. p. 93. t. 242. f. 2. Brown,
Prodr. p. 150. SchknJir, Fil. v. 1. p. 6. t. 68. Hombr. et Jacq. in Toy. au Pole Sud, Bot. Monocot. Crypt.
t. 1. A. [sine descript I).
Var. obliquum;— A. obliquiun, Forst. Prodr. v. 429. Lahillard. I.e . t. 242. f. 1. Schkuhr, I. c.
t. 71. A. cliondropliylliLm, Bertero in Herb. Hook. A. apicidentatum*, Hombr. et Jacq. \. c. 1 .1. A.
{sine descript.).
H.ab. Lord Auckland’s group and Campbell’s Island ; very common on the rocks near the sea and at
the margins of the woods.
Ail the various stages between the A . obliquum, Forst., and A. ohtusaUm, Forst., exist in Lord Auckland’s
group, and probably in other islands of which this plant is an inhabitant ; one of the specimens indeed, is intermediate
between the excellent delineations of the two given by Schkuhr. J IJI. Hombron and Jacquinot have
also figm*ed both the states (from Lord Auckland’s group), retaining them under the name of “ obtusatum," and
added to the plate a representation of another, under the name of A. apicidentatum, which is equally abundant -with
the others, and I have been unable to distinguish it even as a variety ; the production of the apex of the pinna
into a tooth, not affording a constant chai*acter. I have not quoted the Flora of JL . Cunningham, or of J l. A.
Richard, the former not having gathered this species at the time of the publication of his Prodromus, and the
latter author, considering it identical with A. lucidum, Forst., leaves it doubtful AA'hethei* he kneAV both species.
Besides the greater size, different textm*e, and shining surface of the A. lucidum, its involucres are always very
much nan*ower and longer in proportion to the breadth of the frond. Both are common to many parts of the
southern hemisphere, and are particularly frequent in the Pacific Islands.
I have retained the name of obtusaium for this species, that variety being tbe more frequent of the two described
by Forster.
* A . apicidentatum, Homb. and Jacq. ; this name probably applies to the pinnæ being teminated by a tooth ; but
all the pinnæ being serrated throughout their whole margin, I presume the term is not used in its ordinary acceptation.
2. A s p lé n ium scleroprium, Hombr. ct Jacq. in Voy. au Pole Sud, Bot. Monocot. Crypt. 1 .1. D. sine
descript.
H a b . Lord Auckland’s group. {MM. Hombron et Jacquinoi.)
On this plant I can give no information, the plate of JIM. Hombron and Jacquinot being unaccompanied by
any description. Some of my specimens of A. obtusatum approach the figiue quoted above, and entirely agi*ee Avith
it in the form of the sori : they differ in the pinnæ being less strongly creuato-serrate. The name probably alludes
to the textm*e of the plant, wliich like that of many of the southern species is remarkably thick and coriaceous.
3. A s p l é n i u m Forst.; Prodr. n. 420. Presl, Pterid. p. 106. Cænopteris e/Da re a auctorum.
Var. jS. Aucklandicum, Hook, fil.; erectum, frondibus bneari- v. oblongo-lanceolatis crassis pinnatis,
pinnis lineari-lanceolatis inciso-serratis, involucris a costa remotis interdum supra segmenta productis.
H a b . Lord Auckland’s gro u p ; frequent on the margins of Avoods near tbe sea.
Varietas erecta, bi-tripedalis, crassa et coriacea, læte-Ab-ens, sublucida, inter Asplénium veram Canopteridemque
quasi media. Frondes l- l^ - ped. longæ, i - f latæ, apice in lanbnam attenuatam basi profunde laciniatam productæ,
pinnatæ. Pinnæ remotæ, sublonge petiolatæ, lineari-elongatæ v. lanceolatæ, crassæ, 3-5 imc. longæ, | unc. latæ, basi
suboblique attenuatæ, superae in apicem linearem obtiisam sinuatam subcaudatara productæ, per totam longitudinem
regidariter profimde inciso-serratæ ; laciniis bnearibiis, obtusis, sub \ unc. longis, infimis rarissime bifidis, costa
crassa, latiuscida ; venis simplicibus, obsciu-is, ad apices laciiiiarum percun*entibus. Sori latiusculi, a costa remoti,
parte superiore sæpe ultra pinnam supra lacinias producto, iisque marginale. Rachis latiuscula, subalata, supra
medio costata, subtus canabculata, plei*umque glaberrima. Stipes vabdus, crassitie peniiæ anserinæ, basi curvatus
et ascendens, angulatus, bine illinc paleis rarissimis membranaceis sparsis.
This is a very handsome Fern, and, as it appears in Lord Auckland’s gi'oup, veiy different fi*om A . obtusatum,
but is so closely albed to the A.Jlacciduni, a A*ei*y coinmou plant in the N gav Zealand Islands, that I haA'C retained
it as a variety of that plant. The pinnæ are attenuate aud narrow, produced at the apex into a long caudate
obtuse laeinia, they are remarkably unifonn throughout the frond, but iu ray largest specimen the base of one of
the loAvest pinnæ is trapezoid, much broader than the rest, more deeply diAuded, Avith the A'eins sometimes forked.
Tliis, together AAuth the remoteness of the short sori from the costa, and them frequent extension along the inner
edge of the laciniæ, is AA’hat obtains in the more entire varieties of the A.faccidum. The tendency to produce the
sori at a distance from the costa appears to remove this species from A . obtusatum, Forst. and its allies, to AA'hich
its regularly pinnated frond bears much resemblance, connecting it on the other A.bulbiferum, Forst.,
and its inconstant aby A . laxum, Br., some of whose states again are very near to vai'ieties of this. H ith reference
to the veiy variable nature of some genera of Ferns, aud especially of those in the islands of the Southern
Hemisphere, I may here transcribe a remark made by a A'cry acute obseiwer of plants, JL*. James Backhouse, during
his Adsit to Norfolk Island:* “ On the rocks of the S. coast Asplénium difforme a Fern resembling the
marinnm of England. At a short tbstance from the shore its leaves become more divided, and in the AA’oods, in the
interior of the island, they are separated into such narroAv segments, that the bnes of fructification are tliroAvn upon
their margins. It then becomes Cænopteris Odontites. But every possible gi-adation is to be met ndth betAA’ecn
this state, and that in Avhich it groAvs on rocks Avashed by the sea.” llaAdng no Norfolk Island specimens of these
])lants, I am unable to offer any further comment except that some specimens of A. difforme in JL*. J. Smith’s Herbarium
seem to confirm this Adcw, and that JL*. Backlionse’s Avcb knoAvn aeciu*acy entitles any observation of his to
much consideration. The A. marinnm itself has a AAdde gcogi-aphical range, varying considerably in its several
localities, and more in some places than in others ; some of these I liaA'e aUuded to in describing tbe plants of the
Galapago Islands. {MS. ined.)
* Narrative of a Yisit to the Austraban Colonies, by James Backhouse.