
4 0 A D IA N T U M C A P IL L U S -V E N E R I S . A D IA N T U M C A P IL L U S -V E N E R IS . 41
I
T h e “ Common i\[aiden-hair F e rn ,” as the A d ia n tum capillus-
ccneris is more generally called, is the only British repre sentative
of this delicately beautiful family. Although a British F e rn ,
still it grows much more lu x u rian tly u n d e r p o t culture than
when planted out in the F e rn e ry ; a warm humid atmosphere,
in a shady situation, being essential to its well-being. I n its
wild state it is found growing on rocks near th e sea. Mr.
Moore, in the “ N a tu re -p rin ted F e rn s ,” has given th re e beautiful
illustrations, one from Ire la n d , another from Devonshire, and a
th ird from Cornwall; the last is from a cultivated plan t which
1 received from Penzance, and which I forwarded to Mr. Moore.
To grow this F e rn p ro p e rly , use abundant drainage and a
lig h t compost of tu rfy peat, with the addition of leaf mould,
sand, and pieces of sandstone; the rhizoma should he k ep t on
the surface o f the soil.
F ro s t injures the “ Maiden-hair F e rn ,” and a severe frost will
k ill it; the gre a t cold of 1863 destroyed all the plants in the
F e rn e ry at Ilig h fie ld House. W h en grown out of doors it is
deciduous, and even in a warm greenhouse it should have rest
for several months in wintei', or the plants will become weak
and sickly for the want of rest. Too much stress cannot be
laid upon this essential with deciduous F e rn s, as the u n n a tu ra l
forced growth of winter only injures them.
A half-hardy deciduous native Feim, growing upon rocks and
in caves where th e re is an abundant supply of moisture. I t is
never found except ne a r the sea level.
T he geographic range is considerable, being found throu g h o u t
the middle and south of F u ro p e , Fran c e , in Asia, In d ia , China,
P ersia , Arabia, Syria, Siberia, (Caucasus and U ra l districts,)
Algiers, E g y p t, Cape of Good H o p e , Mau ritiu s, Bourbon, Madagascar,
Algoa Bay, F lo rid a , California, Guatemala, Mexico,
Texas, P a rra , Caraccas, T rin id ad , St. V incent, Dominica, Jamaica,
Sandwich Islands, New Caledonia, New H eb rid e s, and the
Islands of the Medite rranean, Teneriffe, Madeira, Canaries, Cape
de V e rd , and Azores; E n g la n d , "Wales, Ire la n d , and Isle of
Man and Channel Islands. D r. Ho o k e r describes the followinso-
In d ian localities:—Malabar, Ava, N ep a l, Simla, Scinde, Khasiya,
Bbotan, Assam, Sikkim-IIimalaya , Cashmere, T h ib e t, Beloochistan,
Affghanistan, Kamaoun, and Khasya.
In this country it is found in Cornwall at Sir C. Lemon’s
seat at Carclew, also at St. Ives and at I la y le ; in Devonshire,
at Ilfracombe, Rillidge P o in t, Watermouth, and Brix h am; in
Glamorganshire, at Dunraven and Ba rry Islan d ; in Somersetshire
I found three plants growing in the fissures of rocks in an air
shaft of a stone q u a rry at Comb Down, in the year 1849; since
th a t time several persons have visited the locality, and in 1855
I myself went th ro u g h the q u a rry a second time, h u t failed,
like others, to detect any more plants. I n the Isle of Man, in
Glen Me ay; in Ire la n d , in Galway, A rran Isles, K e rry , and
Clare. I t has been said to have been found in the counties of
Stafford, Shropshire, Derbyshire, and Y o rk , and in Scotland at
Argyle and Kin c a rd in e , y e t these localities requ ire verification.
The fronds are generally of a lengthened triangula r or ovate
form, occasionally lanceolate or oblong. T h ey are membranaceous,
glabrous, sometimes hipinnate, at others tripinnate. Both
the pinnæ and pinnules arc alternate. The pinnules differ much
in form, they are ro u n d ed with a truncate base, being obliquely
fan-shaped; mostly wedge-shaped at the base, being attached to
short petioles.
Sterile lobes toothed on the edge, the fertile lobes blunt.
T h e veins are a collection of dichotomous ramifications, being
radiately forked. Venules disunited at their apices.
L en g th of frond from six to eighteen inches; colour b rig h t
green.
Sori oblong, varying in length according to the width of the
lobe. In d u sium of the same form, membranaceous, and bearing
the spore cases on its un d e r surface.
Stipes and rachis ebeneous and polished, slender, pu rp lish
black in colour, having a few scales near the base. Stipes
lateral.
Khizoma creeping, densely scaly, of a d a rk brown colour.
T here are th re e varieties described in the “ N a tu re -p rin ted
F e rn s :”—
1st. var. M id tijid um , Wollaston.
2nd. var. In c isum , Moore.
3rd. var. llo tu n d a tum , Moore.
A description of each will be found in the before-mentioned
work. Inte rm ed ia te forms occur, so as to ru n the different forms
into each other.
By some authors A . Moritzianum is considered a distinct