than as distinctions of generic importance. In one group, ^
which may be considered typical of the genus, and which is represented
by our two native species, the involucres are very small
and pateriform (dish-like) with a prominent fringed margin of
incurved hair-like segments. In another group, § Perrinia, represented
by the North American JV. obtusa, the involucres are larger
sub-hemispherioal and broken at the edges into four or five irregular
lobes. In the § Physematmm, represented by W. mollis of Mexico,
the involucres are suhglobose, with a contracted mouth at the apex.
There is considerable difference of appearance between the two
extremes of form hero indicated, but they seem sufficiently reconciled
hy the intermediate group, and Woodsia proper may be regarded
as having the sub-globose iuvolucre of Physematmm split at the
margin into criniform incurved segments, thus retaining in some
measiu-e the cup-shaped character.
The genus Woodsia is the British representative of the sectional
group Peranemece, which includes in addition two or three small
exotic families.
The generic name is given in compliment to Mr. Joseph Woods,
a veteran British botanist.
BRITISH SPECIES.
W. ilvensis ; fronds oWong-lanceolate, subnlately squamose ; pinnæ otilong or
ovate-oWong obtuse ; stipes and rachis crinite chaffy.
W. alpina; fronds linear, slightly hairy not sc a ly ; pinnæ trian g u la r orate
obtuse ; stipes and racbis slightly hairy.
THE OBLONG WOODSIA.
WOODSIA ILVENSIS.
W. fronds oblong, lanceolate, pinnate, thinly clotbed witb broadly-
subulate cbaffy scales beneatb ; pinnæ oblong, obtuse, deeply
pinnatifid, tbe lobes bluntly ovate or oblong, obtuse; stipes and
racbis cbaiFy-crinite. [Plate OV.]
W oodsia ilv en s is , R. Brown, Trans. L in . Soc. Lond. xi. 173 (excl. s y n .
Michaux). Smith, Eng. Fl. 2 ed. iv. 309. lloolcer, Sn;p'p. Eng. Bot. t.
2616; Id ., Sp. Fil. i. 63. Deakin, Florigr. Brit. iv. 45, fig. 1583. Hooker
& Arnott, Brit. Fl. 7 ed. 583. BaUngton, Man. Brit. Bot. 4 ed. 420, in
part. Sowerhy, Ferns o f Gt. Brit. 14, t. 5. Newman, Hist. B rit. Ferns, ^
ed. 71. Moore, Handh. Brit. Ferns, 3 ed. 248 ; Id . Ferns o f Gt. B rit.
Nature Printed, t. 47 A. Bentham, Handh. B rit. Fl. 637. Sprengel, Syst.
Veg. iv. 125. Fee, Gen. Fil. 338. Kaulfuss, Enum. F il. 251. U n k ,
Fil. Sp. 135. Fries, Sum.- Veg. 82. Ledehour, Fl. Ross. iv. 510. Ruprecht,
Dist. Orxjpt. Ross. 52. A . Gray, Bot. N . United St. 596. Mettenius,
Fil. Hort. Bot. Lips. 98. Nyman, Syll. Fl. Europ. 430. Lowe, Nat.
Hist. Ferns, vii. t. 28,
W oodsia v e s t it a , Sprengel, Nov. Prov. Hal. 4 4 (excl. s y n .) according to
Kaulfuss.
W o o d s ia R a ia n a , Newman, Hist. Brit. Ferns, 2 e d . 1 4 0 .
W o o d s ia e u f id u l a , Beck, Bot. North. & Midd. States, 4 5 2 .
W o o d s i a PALEACEA, Opiz; according to Steudel.
W o o d s ia h y p e e b o r e a , 0 . e u f id u l a , Koch, Syn. 2 e d . 9 7 5 .
A ckostiohtjm il v en s e , U n næ u s, Sp. P lant. 1528. Hudson, Fl. Ang. 451.
Bolton, Fil. Brit. 14, t. 9. Fl. Dan. iii. t. 391.
A oeostiohum Ma ea n tæ , Pallas, Itin . iii. 293. Hcmke, Jacq. Collect, ii. 5.
P olypodium ilv en s e , Villars, Hist. PI. Daup. iii. 848. Roth, Cat. Bot. 133.
Swartz, Schrad. Journ. Bot. 1800, ii. 27; Id ., Syn. F il. 39. Schkuhr, Krypt.
Gew. 16, t. 19. Willdenow, Sp. Plant, v. 198. Presl, Tent. PUrid. 180.
Sturm, Fl. (Farm.) t. 1. Fl. Dan. xiii. t. 2186.
P o l y p o d iu m M a e a n t æ , Hoffmann, Deutschl. Fl. i i . 5.
P o l y p o d iu m a e v o n ic u m , Withering, A rr. B rit. PI. iii. 7 7 4 (not of Smith).
PoLYSTiCHUM ? M a r a n t æ , Roth, Fl. Germ. iii. 92.
A s p id ium e u f id u lu m , Swartz, Syn. F il. 58. Willdenow, Sp. Plant, v. 282.
Poiret, Enc. Supp. iv . 5 1 9 .
A s p id iu m d i s t a n s , Viviani, App. Fl. Cors. 8.
N e p h e o d iu m e u f id u l u m , Michaux, Fl. Bor. Amer. ii. 269.
L astrea r u f id u l a , Presl, Tent. Pterid. 76.
N othochlæna r u f id u l a , Desvaux, Prod. 2 2 1 .
Caudex short, sub-globose, erect or decumbent, tufted, furnished
with a few scales on the crown. Scales lanceolate, much acuminated
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