Edited by
Barry A. Thomas

| ISSN 0266 - 1640 | VOLUME 3 PART 3 - 1998
THE BRITISH PTERIDOLOGICAL SOCIETY

THE teal 7 ese ma hires
icers a tee pont October 1997
aie SY H. Rickard

Vice-Presidents: J.H. Bouckley, Dr N.J. Hards, Dr T.G. Walker, J.R. Woodhams
Honorary General Secretary and Archivist: A.R. Busby
‘Croziers', 16 Kirby Corner Road, Canley, Coventry CV4 8GD

Tel.: 01203 715690

Membership Secretary: M.S. Porter, 5 West Avenue, Wigton, Cumbria CA7 9LG
Tel.: 016973 43086

Treasurer: A.M. Leonard, 11 Victory Road, Portsmouth, Hants. PO1 3DR
-mail: GBZURALE@IBMMAIL.COM

Meetings Secretary: PJ. Acock, 13 Star Lane, St Mary Cray, Kent BRS 3LJ
Editors of the Fern Gazette: Miss J.M. Camus & J.A. Crabbe

partment of Botany, The Natural History Museum, eat Road, London SW7 5BD
E-mail: J.cAMUS@NHM.AC.UK

Editor of the Pteridologist: Prof. B A. Thomas
Department of Geography, University of Wales Lampeter, Lampeter, Ceredigion SA48 7ED
Fax: 01570424714,E-mail: B. THOMAS@LAMP.AC.UK

Editor of the Bulletin: Miss A M. Paul
partment of Botany, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, ge SW7 5BD
AMP@NHM.AC.UK

Editor of BPS WWWSite: A.C, Pigott
Kersey's Farm, Mendlesham, Stowmarket, Suffolk IP14 SRB

-mail: ANTHONY PIGGOT@ BTINTERNET.COM

Committee: EJ. Baker, Miss J.M. Ide, A.C. Jermy, Miss H.S. McHaffie,
Miss RJ. Murphy, Mrs M.E. Nimmo-Smith, M.S. _—- R.N. Timm,

rof. A.C, Wardlaw

Conservation Officer: RJ. Cooke, 15 Conduit Road, ra Lincs. PEO 1QQ
Spore Exchange Organisers: Mr & Mrs B. Wright
130 Prince Rupert Drive, Tockwith, York YOS 8PU

Plant Exchange Organisers: Mr & Mrs R.J. Smith

184 Solihull Road, Shirley, Solihull, Warwicks. B90 3LG
Booksales Organiser: SJ. Munyard, 234 Harold Road, Hastings, East SussexTN35 5NG
Trustees of Greenfield and Centenary Funds: M.H. Rickard, A.R. Busby, A M. Leonard
The BRITISH PTERIDOLOGICAL SOCRETY was founded in 1891 and today © ti as a focus for
fern enthusiasts. It Pp Lot its publications
and other literature. It also vegalaes for | talks, informal discussi field meetings, a visits, plant
exchanges, a haan Ee easal scheme and fern book sales. The Sciety has a wide membership which
includes gardeners, nurserymen and botanists, both amateur and professional. The acide s journals, the
Fern Gazette, Pteridologist and Bulletin, are published annually. The Fern Gazette publishes matter chiefly
of specialist interest on international pteridology, the Beste topics of more general appeal, and the
Bulletin, Society business and meeti ings reports. www site www.nhm.ac.uk/hosted_sites/bps/

Memh hip - me:

: i 1 fern-allies. SUBSCRIPTION RATES (due on Ist January
each year) are Full Personal Members £15, Personal Members not pases the Fern Gazette £12, Student
Members £9, Subscribing Institutions £25. Family membership in any category is an additional £2.
Applications for membership should be sent to the Mem

bank conversion
Gazette £2.50. St

Front cover: en Dyce in the early 1970s.

Back numbers of the Fern Gazette, Pteridol
PJ. Acock,13 Star Lane, Si

1 Bulletin are

e for purchase fr Om

St Mary Cray, Kent BRS 3LI, from whom rine details can be obtained.

Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998) 1

FROM THE EDITOR

This issue of the Pteridologist is dedicated to the memory of Jimmy Dyce. It is not a
place for an obituary nor for biographical details for these have already appeared in
other publications of our Society - the Society which
meant so much to him. It is instead the place for
remembering him through the accounts which are
published here. Although the Pteridologist is not
normally the place to publish new names it is
particularly pleasing to include a new hybrid named
in honour of Jimmy. New finds, distribution
recording, fern growing and collections of ferns were
all parts of Jimmy's interest, so it is good to have
such a wide range of articles to bring to you in these
pages. Nevertheless I hope I can be forgiven for
slipping in a few bits and pieces about him and a few
@eswill also spur
others on to write for us ally Afficles on all popular

year . 9 xe)

FROM THE PRESIDENT

All change. Unfortunately this year sees quite a few changes in Society officers. All positions
are honorary and it is inevitable that members have to stand down for a variety of reasons. First
of all I must express my thanks to Trevor Walker for his steady leadership over the last three
years. Despite not owning a car he has attended every committee meeting except one at least
three a year, not an inconsiderable inconvenience considering he lives in Newcastle and most
meetings are in London or the south. His consistency has ensured good continuity between
Committee meetings. Secondly I want to thank James Meryweather for his sterling work with
the previous four issues of the Pteridologist. He brought the journal into the world of colour,
greatly increasing its appeal over its drab predecessor!

As you might have noticed our new editor is Barry Thomas who has recently moved from
the National Museum of Wales back into University. Barry is a paleobotanist with editorial
skills, but he is not so much of a fern grower, I have therefore offered to help him out if he needs
it! Barry was editor of the Fern Gazette together with Jim Crabbe and Mary Gibby. He has now
relinquished that position and handed over to Josephine Camus who is ideally situated at the
Natural History Museum in London to be aware of relevant research work worthy of publication
in this prestigious journal.The spore exchange also has a new organiser, or rather organisers.
Margaret Nimmo Smith has been incredibly successful with her management of the exchange,
building on the solid foundations so well laid by Dick Cartwright before her. Her enthusiasm
will be hard to replace, but I am sure Barry Wright and his wife will enjoy equal succes if you,
the members, give them the support in terms of the spores they need. Spores don’t have to be
from rare species, even ferns common to us in Britain are in demand overseas. We also have a
new Membership Secretary, Alison Paul has combined this task with editing the Bulletin, but
she has found an able successor in Michael Porter, enabling her to concentrate on the Bulletin
and perhaps have a little spare time in future! While all these new appointments represent quite
an upheaval there is one much bigger change to report. At the autumn 1998 AGM, after twenty
years in the post, Matt Busby will stand down as Secretary. Matt is going to be a hard act to
follow, he has brought such enthusiasm to the job and ensured that the Society thrived when it
might have gone into decline after Jimmy Dyce’s resignation as Secretary 20 years ago. Over

2 Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998)

these 20 years Matt met all the challenges the job threw at him especially during the run up to
the centenary in 1991 when the workload must have been enormous. I know I speak for all
members when I thank Matt on behalf of the Society for all his time and effort on our behalf.
We are very fortunate to have Jennifer Ide as an ideal potential replacement for Matt. Jennifer
_ has been on the Society committee for many years, she knows how the Society works and is
vastly experienced having organised much of the Centenary Symposium in 1991. With all these
changes at the moment I cannot resist a quick look back at past officers of the Society. Certainly
there have been great men amongst our predecessors. For me to be elected as the new President

when the likes of Dr Frederick Stansfield and Charles Druery have gone before is a daunting
priviledge. It iad interest newer members to know that at the turn of the century, in Stansfield’s

and Druery’s time, the BPS was a very ‘specialist Society — solely for the fern grower, and
primarily for om grower of cultivars at that. Exotic ferns were rarely discussed neither was the
scientific side of ferns. This started to change with the onl of A H G Alston as President
from 1949 until 1958. Being based at the Natural History Museum in London, Alston knew what
research was going on around the world and little by little members were made aware of it.
Since Alston, almost without exception, Presidents have alternated between fern growers and
scientists - this is not to say that scientists - are not fern growers too! The duration of any
presidency has also been limited to three years. This policy ensures that the Society maintains
its balance, we recognise the great contributions both disciplines can make to the future of
pteridology and our society. Confining myself to Presidents who are now deceased four stand
out in the post-Alston period on the scientific side Professors Eric Holttum and Irene Manton,
and on the amateur, or horticultural side, Reginald Kaye and Jimmy Dyce. Jimmy Dyce
oer the single most important member of the Society this century, ranking with Stansfield
an . It has been said many times before but were it not for him the Society would have
died out got World War II. I have been very fortunate to be able to count Jimmy as a very
special friend for nearly thirty years and as he was my mentor, it gives me great pleasure to take
over the Presidency at a time when we can celebrate Jimmy’s contributions to our knowledge
of ferns and the well-being of the Society. Celebrate is the right word, Jimmy would not want
us to mourn.This issue of the Pteridologist is the second dedicated to Jimmy. Fortunately he was
around to enjoy the first on the occasion of his eightieth birthday in 1985. Then we published
anecdotes about Jimmy plus a wide range of articles likely to have been of interest to him, even
including one written by him! This time the formula is similar, and we like to think that Jimmy
would have enjoyed it, unfortunately this time we have to manage without anything new written
by Jimmy.This is not all we are doing to preserve Jimmy’s memory. A more exciting project is
the publication of his book on cultivars of Polystichum setiferum. This was written by Jimmy a
few years back but its publication was delayed by the lack of illustrations. I hope that this can
be overcome this summer and the boo — as soon as —— after that, as BPS Special
Publication No 6 or 7. Th ther special p line which might be issued
before Jimmys book. The Society will be doing more to penietuate Jimmy's memory, already
in production are cut glass glasses engraved with the Society logo and Jimmy*s name. These
will be ideal for the odd wee dram! Also very exciting is the future Meetings programme. The
domestic and regional programmes are as interesting as usual bas most exciting is the prospect
of a meeting in New Zealand in 2000 or 2001, how Jimmy loved that! It doesn’t end
there. Other overseas meetings are also being considered, including a possible excursion to see
our friends in the Hardy Fern Foundation and American Fern Society in Seattle. Sue Olsen from
Seattle has already sent me a mouth watering itinerary! If the New Zealand meeting is a success
it is hard to see any limit on where we might plan an excursion in future! We have other plans,
some may not come off, but despite all the changes amongst the Society officers the Society is
in very good heart and we look forward to the millenium with great enthusiasm.

Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998) 3

JIMMY DYCE - “in person”.
Betty Dyce
Members of the British Pteridological Society will always associate the name of Jimmy Dyce
with "Ferns" and I wonder if they would like to know how he became interested in the subject
and indeed how he became involved with the Society.

Born in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, it was not long before the family moved to Aberlour
where Father took over the running of the Estate of what they lovingly called "the Big Hoose".
School was 3 miles away and, no matter what the weather, Jimmy had to walk there and back,
so no doubt he had ample opportunity to study nature. Father was interested in ferns, so it was
not difficult es a” to pass on this interest to his son because "James" had always been very

botanically mi
Father a le decided that their son should have a "good" job and ii him into the
Bank of Scotland in Aberlour where he successfully passed all the necessary examinations. It

was whilst reading one of the Bank's magazines that he saw an advertisement Lip recruits for the
Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China, and this whetted his appetite for a chance to be
sent to any of these countries where he could pursue his botanical interest. However the move
to London with all its "glamour" became fascinating and he never did get to any of these three
Countries, at least not via the Bank.
ilst we met in 1944, we were not able to marry until 1949, so you will Elda as
my story comes from my memory, almost 50 years on, but I believe Jimmy bec
of the then rather run down B.P.S fairly soon after arriving in London (1935) and pose a des
and lasting friendship with Percy Greenfield - a great guy and standing out in my memory one
with huge moustache and wearing knickerbockers, a true country gentleman looked after by a
Res -in housekeeper. I think it was Percy and Dr Stansfield who saw a potential leader a young
Dyce. as Percy would call him, and he agreed to take on the job of B.P.S Secretary (1939), so,
when I came on the scene he was well and truly involved, and being a Secretary, I came in handy
for all the typing that ensued - no computers then, but a portable Olivetti with individually typed
envelopes until rolls of labels made the job easier and quicker. Not only did he do the secretarial
work, but created a Book Sales “department” (late 1960s) which helped with the finances of the
Society to which he was dedicated.

I have said earlier that he did not get to either India, Australia or China through the Bank,
but he did get to India by courtesy of the Royal Air Force for which he volunteered and of course
he was in his glory and took up two more hobbies, Entomology and photography, in addition to
his botanical pursuits. He was able to explore the country, going on a trek to kanchunjunga being
one of the highlights. In normal circumstances he would have stayed there until demobbed, but
a motor accident whilst being transported from one area to another resulted in a burst spleen
which was just discovered in time to prevent his death. He spent many weeks in hospital and
was eventually invalided out, and back in the U.K., so life in the Bank began again. However,

anking was not really his cup of tea, and the sooner he could get back home and into sho
and in the garden, the better he liked it and the house at Loughton proved ideal, with its own
right of way into Epping Forest.

J y retired at the age of 62 on health grounds, having suffered a rather bad nervous
breakdown, but it was the opening to further his already great interest in ferns, as he was now
free to go on all the excursions all over the country with other like minded members of B.P.S.
He formed a great fiiendship with Reginald Kaye - another great guy, with such humour and
whose company was much enjoyed after the evening dinner, especially with a wee dram (or
two) in the hand

Jimmy loved food, and always enjoyed any meal put before him, and another hobby was
scone cooking, dishing up the most exciting concoctions helped along with the Good Food

e. Good Food needs wine, so the next hobby was home wine making, and once he got
his re into something, he did it thoroughly, and became a lecturer and Founder of several
Wine Circles. One could say that life began for him at retirement, and he was able to spend most
of the 30 years enjoying those numerous hobbies, and I haven't mentioned all of them!

I think the rest is history, with his various articles in the B.P.S. Bulletin, the books he wrote
and the meetings he attended, which have all, I think, been recorded in the Bulletin.

4 Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998)

EQUISETUM X DYCEI AND ALL THAT
Chris Page, Gillywood Cottage, Trebost lane, Stithians, Truro, Cornwall TR3 7DW.

It was a the early and late seventies that I spent many happy days in the field with
Jimmy Dyce on his annual visits to Scotland to see his elderly mother. Jimmy found, I think, in
me, an secinnte'y recruit whom he could educate simultaneously in the two main driving
forces of his life: ferns and malt whisky. Women also played a third force somewhere, at
I never really fathomed where. He did, however, at times, pride himself as running the B.
unofficial marriage bureau.

On each of his summer's visits to
Scotland, we organised to meet up in what
turned out to be often increasingly remote
corners, for a week or so of what Jimmy
always referred to as fern hunting.
Sometimes others joined us, but mostly

reason, to travel in the back of my ancient
Landrover, probably because of its high
vantage point an ling view over
the hedges. From the diiver’s point of
view, you gained a running commentary
from behind on what he spotted outside
that looked interesting, interspersed, of
course, with the usual complains about :
everything, which, in less ferny areas, Jimmy Dyce at the centenary meeting at Kew
was the main way that you could tell if he
was still with you

Britain, and British Pteridology, had been, for a long time slowly regaining all those aspects
of life that had made Britain British in the earlier part of this century and for much of the
previous one. Following the war years, and the shortages and mundane austerity that for so-long
followed, I realised that through these years Jimmy, almost single-handedly, had kept the British
Pteridological —— alive. He always dreamed of it becoming an international force for
pteridology ag

By the time I came to know him in the early seventies, Jimmy had firmly re-established
fern-growing as the B.P.S.'s. main core. But what so impressed me was that he was also
farseeing enough in what was already the beginning of his elderly years, of being able to adapt
to and take-on-board new things: particularly the burgeoning scientific interest that had been
growing in ferns in Britain over the previous two decades. Thus although I knew him initially

hi m-growing guise, I became
sara impressed with his British
field kn or and his ready
acceptance of a young but determined

uld pass on some of this. He had
phos achieved a lot of pteridophyte
igre and very many of the dots in
ern Atlas were probably his

I became particularly ile with
Jimmy's field knowledge because it was
an intimate knowledge borne exclusively
out of first-hand experience, and I came to
greatly respect him for this and his
dedication. Indeed, as I got to know the
Scottish ferns too, we had much jovial

Jimmy Dyce in Cornwall

Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998) 5

oo as we years went by, usually as we approached a new Pe: a fern
hab either of us, about exactly what ferns we would expect t

co. even in dime early days, he and I had sorted out that we had at least three different

Golden-scaled Male-ferns in Scotland, long before, as far as we knew, anyone else was

interested. Our banter and fiiendly competition, bordering at times on ribald rivalry, became a
markably accurate species-forcasting technique, and kept us both thinking.

I missed these occasions when, in the progress of things, Jimmy's mother eventually died,
and Jimmy himself found the long trip to Scotland each year becoming too much for him. There
was still chance to renew old rivalries again when I travelled south to Join B.P.S. “th
where we again met up. It was only then that I found that I had also had some influence o
Jimmy, for he had taken on yet a further new aspect in old age - what I had been able to ata
him about Equisetum and its hybrids - and he was now relating this at meetings to others

Well, Jimmy got his wish. The B.P.S. is again an important international force in
pteridology. It was a great honour to me to be able to name a horsetail, Equisetum x dycei
C.N.Page, after him. I'm sorry, Jimmy, that it turned out to be a sterile hybrid, but this does not
retract from its taxonomic value. I pointed out to Jimmy that at least it had a distribution which
almost exactly corresponded to that of the best Malt Whisky distilleries. Jimmy was honoured,
and approved.

FERN RECORDING AND MONITORING: A PROGRAMME TO
TAKE THE BPS INTO THE NEXT CENTURY
A. C. Jermy, Botany Department, the Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD

INTRODUCTION

If anyone was keen to get into the field and hunt for ‘fearans’ it was Jimmy Dyce! me his
banking career kept him office-bound he was extremely fit, and I have know several occasions
when within 24 hours of leaving his desk he would be enjoying such activities as Sables the
Crib Goch Ridge - ahead of everyone else! It was Jimmy who devised a Recording Card for the
Society to use on its field trips; and it was he who laboriously went through the first edition of
the Atlas of the British Flora (Perring & Walters ng seeing how many new 10km-square
records we had made on our most recent excursion. As he came on every BPS excursion for
some 25 years, his copy of that book will show many rd dots added as a result. It was he who
encouraged publishing an Atlas of pteridophytes only and that which appeared in 1978 (Jermy
et al.) was the result of a BPS network activity. We were able to have the output from the
computer of the Biological Records Centre at Monks Wood to produce maps (at that time less
sophisticated than it is today) but PCs and the programmes to manipulate amassed records were
not available. Now we are contemplating our own BPS electronic databases, with the full co-
operation of BRC, and we no longer need to keep records by adding red dots to earlier
publications!

The theme of this article is not to discuss databasing, however; there are others in and out
of the Society who can do that much better than I. Instead, I want mention a few ways as to how
our members, whether professional botanist or ‘hobbyist’, can contribute towards recording and
monitoring some of our more interesting ferns (and ‘allies’). In most cases it means working
with others — BSBI Recorders, members of local Wildlife Trusts, with Conservation Officers of
the Government conservation agencies (English Nature, Countryside Council for Wales, and the
Scottish Natural Heritage, or in Northern Ireland with the Department of the Environment (NI);
and in the Republic of Ireland, with the Department of Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht). Data
initially will be deposited in BRC (or its equivalent in Ireland) and contribute to the publication
of Atlas 2000, the large-scale BSBI network project in train at the moment.

OUR CHANGING PTERIDOPHYTE FLORA

Taxonomic knowledge and concepts
One might think that after some 200 years of active botanising the flora of these islands is well
known. True, but over the years, as we learn more about the variation, genetics and ecology of

6 Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998)

a species we see that variation in a new light. Josephine Camus (1991) reviewed changes in our
British List and still things change. Edward Newman was first to describe an alpine form of
Lastrea (=Dryopteris) dilatata from Ben Lawers, a plant we know today as Dryopteris enor

after Stanley Walker (1955) had shown it had a different chromosome number from, and is
of the parents of D. dilatata. About the same at pommatty Dyce was recording an wee
stoloniferous form of D. dilatata in his native A now known to be also D. expansa.
New records of this species can still be made from high mountains down to sea-level. Martin
Rickard, always with an eye for something unusual, found Asplenium trichomanes subsp.
pachyrachis new to Britain in the Wye valley (Rickard 1989). The Victorian fern collectors had
also found this ‘variety’ as Martin was fully aware. As part of a world-wide survey, the A.
trichomanes complex is now being scrutinised using DNA and iio molecular techniques by
Johannes Vogel and his team at the Natural History Museum, and we hope that the maps of the
taxa recognised will be substantially revised. For identification of this and other Asplenium
ence see af Ru umsey wera in the BPS/BSBI Plant Crib 1998 (Rich & Jermy 1998)
Sub achyrachis, a rare taxon in Britain, is reasonably distinct (see
Fig. 1) and should be looked euke on castle and ruined walls or on natural rock walls containing
some lime. Vogel has also studied in detail the complex of A. adiantum-nigrum, including the
pen caer RCE: form (called incorrectly in the Atlas, A. cuneifolium). He recommends (pers.
m.) it be recorded as a subspecies for which the oldest, and thus correct name, appears to

ne ‘lesa ee Page (1997) refers to it by a later name, subsp. corrune

A omplex species is the bracken. Pteridium is a cosmopolitan genus of iocasibiy six
species but Bete many genetical forms. Not everywhere is it the invasive weed we see in
western Europe. One variety, now treated by Chris Page as a species is P. pinetorum, a distinct
plant of fic growth and low stature associated with ancient pine forests in Scotland and N.
Europe generally (see Page in the Plant Crib 1998: p. 19-20).

A complex that is by no means clear is Cystopteris fragilis agg. and older books had several
varieties. The rugose spore variant and characteristic garden form C. dickieana is
hide ig distinct, and is so rare in the wild as to have legal protection. There are rugose-

red forms, however, that are identical in all other respects to C. fragilis (Tennant 1996) and
eeu be looked for in shady limestone gorges. The very finely dissected form, C. alpina (C.
regia of earlier books) may yet be found on limestone at higher altitudes, e. g. Skye

Two other ‘allied’ species that could be mentioned are the fir clubmoss and the variegated
horsetail. Huperzia selago has a form, subsp. arcticum, with srealier pelowieh igaere wiuehs is
now considered a possible element of wind-swept
and figured in the Plant Crib 1998, p. 4. Equisetum variegatum, in contrast, shows great
ecological variation from high-level ledges in Scottish mountains to coastal sand-dune slacks in
the south of England. Populations at Braunton Burrows (and possibly elsewhere) shows
morphological variation which still needs further investigation (Crabbe et al. 1965

Dryopteris affinis complex is difficult to identify to varietal or morpphotype level and there
is no space to discuss the problem here. The reader is referred to the Plant Crib 1998, p. 29-33,
where a full explanation is given. In all cases voucher specimens should be collected and
preferably sent fresh by first-class post to Anthony Pigott, Kersey’s Farm Mendlesham,
Stowmarket, Suffolk IP14 5RB.

In this brief overview of recording our pteridophyte flora we should not forget the detailed
picture that is now emerging of the appearance of the gametophyte phase of the Killarney fern,
Trichomanes speciosum. The a is protected under laws in Britain, Northern Ireland and
the Irish Republic, and throughout in Europe (i.e. its world range) althou ugh when its

‘independent’ gametophyte is nee it is by no means a rare organism. A 10-km map
showing the present known spread of the gametophyte in the British Isles is given in Watsonia
(Rumsey et al. 1998) but many more records may yet be made as people get their eye in for this
filamentous prothallus (see figures in Plant Crib 1998* and Rumsey & Sheffield, 1990). Fred
Rumsey will continue to monitor the spread.

i Copies s of fem sag of iss fon Crib oe published | in h assdciation with the BSBI have been made
an A4 s.a.e with two first class

stamps.

Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998) 7

Figure |. Asplenium trichomanes subsp. pachyrachis on
Caldicott Castle, Feb. 1997. Phot. J.C. Voge

Endangered Species

A number of our ferns are ‘endangered’, that is they are threatened by some situation,
usually man-made such as change of land-use or ‘collection for horticulture. These, together with
the flowering plants have been published, in what is now an intern ationally nerve
convention, a Red Data Book (Cooke 1996). et for the Britain is now in its third edition
(Wigginton in press) which is expected this year and the species listed therein were given by

ooke (/.c.) and are included in Table | here. A similar RDB has been prensa for Ireland

(Curtis & McGough 1988) and the pteridophytes included there are also shown In
Britain, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland those species in the sche aia of
threat are protected under various laws. In all cases it is an offence to damage, remove or be in
possession of the protected species. Furthermore, laws of the European Union which the UK
must act upon, also apply to habitat and species protection.

The loss of diversity of both plants and animals is, or should be , in every body’s mind. The
meeting of the world governments in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 to discuss the situation stimulated

action. One major result of which was the Convention of Biological Diversity whic

States have now signed up to) It also generated some funds at both local, resis and
international levels to carry out relevant action. The UK government set up a Biodiversity
Steering Group which has published a volume of Action att (Anon. 1995). This document
gives a ‘short list’ and a ‘long list’ of globally threatened/declining species. The ferns included
there are shown in Table 1. All three conservation Agencies: Countryside Council for Wales,
English Nature, Scottish Natural Heritage have included a number a species in their Action
Plans and between them have found some funding to research, take action and, hopefully,
monitor their successes to conserve plants on these lists. As far as ferns are concerned,
Lycopodiella inundatum, Pilularia globulifera, Trichomanes speciosum and the two Woodsia
species, have already received attention.

BPS NETWORK ACTIVITIES
The following lines of activity could be considered:

1. Recording all pteridophytes in selected 10km squares around one’s home a

The BSBI project, Atlas 2000, and subsequently the revised Fern Atlas, will she presence in
revised date classes (pre-1970, Jan. 71—Dec. 86, and 1987 onwards) and what had been shown
as a solid dot (post-1960 record in the Fern Atlas) may not appear thus is the newer editions. So
a very useful exercise can be to take a number of 10km squares and see how the present flora,

8 Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998)

as far as you can survey it, compares with those records in the Aflas of 1978. It is worth checking
if any local group is already working on a wider remit for Atlas 2000 or a local Flora. Several
members are working very hard to update fern records, e.g. Barbara Porter and her group near
Stockport. John Durkin has done similar work but at a county level in Durham. Others are
collecting records on a finer grid basis (at the ‘tetrad’, i.e. 2 (2km level) for an Atlas of a whole
county or vice-county. An excellent example of this is the group in Cornwall, with BPS
members Rose Murphy (also currently the BSBI Recorder for E. Cornwall) and Ian Bennallick,
ho, using a computer programme designed by Colin French, are mapping the flora at this
tetrad level. They have kindly allowed me to publish here (Fig. 2) a draft tetrad map showing
Dryopteris aemula, and for comparison, the 1978 map showing the coarser 10km squares.
Clearly the finer distribution ee. tells us much more about the ecology of D. aemula when
interpreted by those that know the area
Almost every village in eee England will bas a oe for pe st ieaaig wall
ferns — the church and complex tombs, hou
e.g. the manse and ‘the big house’. Surely Asplenium ruta-muraria, and possibly A. ecm
nigrum can be found in each 10km map-square? And what clumps of A. trichomanes subsp.
quadrivalens and even A. ceterach are lurking on those SW facing walls? a scare articles
on this topic were those of Ron sar (1993; 1998). On dry-stone walls of non-calcareous rock:
Polypodium spp. may be present and, when stunted, can be teasers to identify, If the wall eg a
mortar capping, Polypodium vests P. vulgare, and the hybrid P. x mantoniae, may all be
present.

2. Checking out on old records

Searching for species that have not been seen in particular sites for some time is a very
profitable exercise. The Fern Atlas (1978)shows an open circle for records before 1960. Those
included in Stewart ef al.(1994) (see Table 2) are so marked for pre-1970 records. It would be
useful to know if a habitat in which an early record had been found is entirely destroyed or
changed in such a way that the species could no longer be expected there, for instance. It is
surprising, however, how many old records can be re-found when looked for by somebody who
knows the niche of the plant. All counties will have early records in published form and the local
library is the best place to start. Also voucher material may exist in local museum collections.
If anyone is having problems over finding literature or would like to hear if there are ferns to
re-find in their area please contact me.

3. Filling the gaps and assessing present status
n we look at the Aflas or a county flora with appropriate maps we often see a relativel

common species rare over a large area for no obvious reason. For instance, why is Polystichum
aculeatum absent from most of Cornwall. Partly due to lack of alkaline rocks but there are
bridges in shady valleys which, if in Scotland, would have the plant in abundance. What we do
know is that the county has been well covered by expert pteridologists (see above), so the
absence is not due to lack of recording. But we should think why this absence occurs. Can the
species be grown in gardens in the area with success? And in some cases the gaps may not be
real. Use your experience of knowing where a species is likely to grow and, if the habitat is
available, see if it is there.

tt IUCN & Mace 1994"):
ically Endangered; EN copa EW Extinct in the wild;

VU Vulnerable; LR-Low
t ted in Britain under Schedule 8 of - hasan and a Act 1981; or in Irish Republic under the
® Included in edn 3 British RDB olay 2 press). nies in Scarce Species (Stewart et al. 1994

# UK Biodiversity Strategy (Anon 1995) Short List. UK Biodiversity Strategy (Anon 1995) Long List.
& Included in the Irish RDB (Curtis & McGough 1988). np. Not present. n.t. Not threatened.

Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998)

TABLE | Species protected by national laws or considered in a special conservation categor

(Red Data Lists or Action Plans etc.) with Country and International threat status

Species Britain Northern Irish Status at
Ireland Republic world
level *
Adiantum capillus-veneris @ VU EW VU n.t.
Asplenium obovatum subsp. lanceolatum ‘as At VU LR
(syn. A. billotii)
Asplenium septentrionale @ VU/EN introduced Aj VU n.t.
Asplenium trichomanes subsp. BVU at
rachis
A. distentifolium @nt n.t.
Athyrium flexi meVU VU
(syn. A. aes var. flexile)
Cryptogamma crispa nt VU Aj VU n.t
Cystopteris dickieana @i EN n.t.
Cystopteris montana @nt n.t.
Dryopteris cristat BVU LR
Dryopteris submontana nt n.t.
Equisetum pratense @ nt Aj VU AVU n.t.
Equisteum ramosissimum Mi VU n.t.
Gymnocarpium dryopteris n.t A7 CR AVU n.t
Gymnocarpium robertianum @ nt Aj CR n.t
Isoetes echinospora @ nt n.t. n.t. n.t
Isoetes histrix Wi VU/LR LR
Lycopodiella inundata (syn. Lepidotis @ VU Ait VU ATVU VU
inundata; Lycopodium inundatum)
Ophioglossum azoricum @ nt. nt. nt.
Ophioglossum lusitanicum @;EN LR
Pilularia globulifera @VU AT VU Aj VU LR
Polystichum lonchitis nt At VU ALR n.t.
Thelypteris palustris #VU VU VU n.t.
Trichomanes speciosum @iVvU Aj VU At VU VU
Woodsia ilvensis M@i#CR nt.
Woodsia alpina @i VU n.t.

* This refers to the level of threat at the Country indicated; based on IUCN criteria (Stuart & Mace 1994""):

10 Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998)

Be bogeds prpes eich birds Pot sp
—_| Fern Atlas : ‘oe A
Gs (1978) ! 3 ——— 1

ae

Figure 2. Draft distribution of Dryopteris aemula in Cornwall. An example from the Erica database being
used for Atlas of the Cornish Flora project (with permission of Colin French et al.).

4 6

4. Looking for hybrids

Looking for hybrids in populations of mixed related species is fun. Get your eye in for the two
parents and then see if intermediates occur. Then check the spores (obviously this must be done
at the right time of the season) to see if they are aborted. Hybrid spores usually show a variation
in sizes from those typical of the fertile species (25-45mm) to some very much smaller than the
norm, irregularly shaped, usually with no or little cellular content.

Page (1997) gives full descriptions of all pteridophyte hybrids and Hutchinson & Thomas
(1996) gives diagnostic characters of most, including some not yet recorded for, but likely in,
the British Isles. The Plant Crib 1998 (Rich & Jermy 1998) gives additional illustrations, and
characters in table form of some of the more common Asplenium, Equisetum and Polystichum
hybrids.

5. Mapping locally rare species

Mapping the rarer species in a particular protected area (e. g. Local or National Nature Reserve,
or a selected area of a national Park) can be both satisfying and useful. It must be done
conjunction with local wardens or other managers as you may find somebody has already sited
the project and laid a foundation on which you can build. In such cases you will have to use the
same methods and, if posible, concepts of species. If you know the species well you may be able
to help the Warden by giving advice on how the rarer species should be managed in order to
conserve it.

6. Studying the nationally Scarce Species
Fourteen species of pteridophyte are mapped and appraised briefly in the Scarce Plants in
Britain (Stewart et al.1994). All of these present exciting subjects for study. Some such as
Pilularia any Lycopodiella inundatum are already subjects of English Nature ‘Recovery’
programm: ob Cooke, pers. comm.), or Scottish Natural Heritage Action Plans (Sue Scott
and Phil mn pers. comm.). These species are declining due to habitat loss. Pilularia is an
opportunist plant colonising the bare clay of dissused brick-pits or similar alluvial areas which,
unless managed, scrub over and get built upon. However, the presence of the plant in deep water

Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998) 11

in some Scottish and Welsh lakes is difficult to explain and we should look out for it in these
situations.
cies in mountain habitats, on the other hand, such as Cystopteris —— and Athyrium
distentifolium are not really threatened but many of the records are old need re-finding
A species like the Cystopteris is best searched for with a geological map on which you can
locate small outcrops of calcium-bearing rocks. I am sure for both species there are more sites
to be found in the remoter parts of Scotland. Likewise Lycopodium annotinum is probably more
widespread in the Grampians than the present records show. Asplenium septentrionale is
recorded in 27 10km squares but within those squares only in 31 tetrads (Stewart et al. 1994);
it has been ‘lost’ from 24 10km sgs. In the British Isles this species may be ‘Endangered’.
In other species such as Thelypteris palustris, the challenge is checking old sites and seeing
if remnant populations still exist. With [soetes echinospora a diligent search around lake shores
ma’ eal washed-up fertile leaves with megaspores (see Rich & Jermy 1998, and Stace 1997
for usta of the megaspores). It is unusual to find both this species and J. lacustris in the
as lake chemistry changes, echinospora may spread. The two species do hybridise
(see Plant an 1998).

RECORDING THE DATA

If at any time you feel uncertain about the identity of any species or hybrid you are recording,
take a small piece of the plant (unless you suspect it being a protected species when a
photograph is best) as a voucher for later confirmation. The specimen should show at least some
pieces of leaf with sori and mature spores. Dry this iene = mesh Ey | sora it Anemia
newspaper or other absorbent paper. Vouchers of all susp should
any specimens of Dryopteris affinis as we hope to map the variation seen in this difficult group
(see above).

If you are recording for another organisation it is best to use their data-forms if they hav
them. As the BPS is working closely with the Botanical Society of the British Isles in eas
the BRC with data for Atlas 2000 we ensure all our records are seen by the BSBI Vice-county
Recorders. If you are active in recording you should contact your local Recorder and I can give
the names and addresses of any needed although they should be well known in county natural
history circles. rire records of unusual species should be put on BRC ‘Pink Cards’
(available from ecorder or from me). For recording pteridophytes on a site basis our BPS
cards are the most convenient. When giving National Grid references always give the full eight
figures unless you are dealing with a very rare species when, for security reasons, it may be
advisable to be less ese he iigoee keep full Geeuils sie +s future reference.

| illb 10km square (heptad) level as
the Fern Atlas of 1978 does. The proposed revised Fern itis using the same data from BRC,
supplemented by input from regional surveys and individual specialists, will contain maps of
varying scales to illustrate the distribution in relation to ecological factors, etc. At the county
level, most recent Floras have been mapped or at least published at the tetrad level (squares 2 x
2km) (e.g. Floras of Cumbria, Devon, Kent, S.E. Yorks, to mention just a few. The next stage in
fern mapping will be to relate such records at the site level to other parameters already mapped
and stored in the computers in a Geographical Information System programme and the BPS is
already talking to institutes using those techniques.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thanks Rose Muphy, Ian Bennallick and Colin French for allowing me to
reproduce Figure 2, Johannes Vogel for the use of his photograph of Asplenium trichomanes
subsp. pachyrachis, and Alison Paul and Fred Rumsey for comments on early drafts.

12 Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998)

CES

Anon. 1995. Biodiversity: The UK Steering Group Report. Vol. 2: Action Plans. HMSO, L

Camus, J. M. 1991. Changes in the List of british — pp. 17-24 in The ee a British
Prteridology 1891-199]. (ed. J. M. Camus). BPS, Lon

Cooke, R. 1996. The status of ferns and fern allies in Great seme Pteridologist 3: 45-46.

omy J. A., Jermy, A. C. & we gny G. A. 1965. Two forms of Eguisetum variegatum at Braunton

urrows. Proc. B.S.B.1. 1965: 4

Curtis, - G. F. & McGough, H. N. ee The Trish Red Data Book, 1 Vascular plants. Wildlife service of
Ireland, Dublin.

Hutchinson, G. & Thomas, B. A. 1996. Welsh ferns. Edn 7. National Museums and Galleries of Wales,

Jermy, a C. Atwoha: H. A. Farrell, L. & Perring, F. H. 1978. Atlas of Ferns of the British Isles. BPS/BSBI,
Londo!

Mace, G. &. — S. 1994. Draft IUCN Red List Categories, Version 2.2. Species 21-22: 13-24.

Page, C. N. 1997. The ferns of Britain and Ireland. 2 edn. Cambridge University Press, yo

Payne R. M. 1993. West Norfolk church ferns. Trans. Norf. & Norwich Natlst. Soc.29: 362-3

Payne R. M. 1998. The flora of ear in West Norfolk. Published by the author, Norwich.

Perring, F. H. & Walters, S. M. 1962. Atlas of the British Flora. Thomas orgs teks

Rich, T.C.G. & Jermy, A.C. har ne Plant Crib 1998. BSBI, Lond

Rickard, M. H. 1989. Two spleenworts new to Britain - Asplenium tric sais subsp. pachyrachis and A.
i 1: 244-248.

Rueanby, F. J. & Sheffield, E. 1990. British filmy fern ichiaesogiontes. Pteridologist 2: 40-42;
Rumsey, F. J., Jermy, A. C. & Sheffield, E. 1998. Watsonia 22: 1-19.

Stace, C. A. 1997. New Flora of a chira Isles. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Tennant, D. J. 1996. Watsonia 21: 139.

Walker, S. 1955. Cytogenetic mai in the Dryopteris spinulosa complex. I. Watsonia 3: 193-208
Wigginton, M., ed. (in press). The British Red Data Book, 1, Vascular plants. JNCC, Peterborough.

Four Corners of Britain Challenge
Patrick Acock, 13Star Lane, St. Mary Cray, Kent BR5 3LJ

n holiday, in the Lizard, this year I was informed that I was to take the girls to Lands End
instead of looking at stone circles with the rest of the party. On remembering seeing Osmunda
regalis on the cliffs on a preview visit, my initial disgruntlement changed to an air of
expectation. Above the cliffs I suddenly wondered what the most westerly plant in Great Britain

might be. Within a tenth of a second I had lost interest I wanted to know what the most westerly
fern was. Scrambling towards the edge of the British mainland with my friend’s daughter Emma
terrified, a few paces behind, I realised that the challenge to name the fern most northerly,
southerly, westerly and easterly, would have to be restricted to the mainland of Britain. The
reason being that pteridologists are few in number and it would be easy to loose them on this
foolish quest especially if they took to the water.

It was, more hazardous than I expected but, to my great joy, the most westerly fern I could
find was Asplenium marinum. Having been joined by my friend and terrified daughter two, a
picture was duly taken of this quite large specimen several feet back from the cliff edge.
explained the challenge to the group hoping that we might lay a tentative claim to three points
of the compass before a week elapsed.

Unfortunately on returning back to base it appears that Ramsgate is nowhere near as far East
as a place just South of Lowestoft. Undaunted next day I went out to fmd the most southerly
fern. This proved to be even more hazardous than the previous venture for the cliffs are a lot
steeper. To start with it looked like bracken was to be the victor but after much searching a
diminutive desicated specimen, much exposed to fight and the elements, of Asplenium marinum
clai € prize again.This plant was a long way back from the southern most point on a
cuir cows toa sree jetty opposite the shell oe an old boathou

herly and easterly cae in Britain but I would
like to cece challenge to all our readers. I for one oad like to know which ferns occupy
these positions in other comers of the world. I do hope to hear from you but do be careful!

Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998) 13

EXCEPTIONALLY LARGE ASPLENIUN MARINUM ON RATHLIN
ISLAND, COUNTY ANTRIM

Jack Gastrang, Overbeck, Pennybridge, Cumbria LA12 7RQ

It was Adrian Dyer’s article on Asplenium marinum in Iona Abbey Asap act = 777, 1996)
and the relevant data on the sizes of its fronds that made me realise, with s tion, that
the group plants I found flourishing in ies crevices on the west facing back — of a cave at
Couoraghy bay were indeed
exceptional. Given the remote
location of the cave,
excitement was not wholly due to
the fronds measuring 55 cm in
length, but to the possibility that I
was the first person to see them
cave was at the foot of a
limestone cliff about 30 ft above
evel, in a shallow bay on a
small Senabed volcanic island (5

Straits of Moyle, County
Antrim (Lat. 55°3’ North, Long.
6°2' West).

The plants were growing in a
seepage crack on the back wall
where there was reflected light

the microclimate was
teaieenls warm and humid.
This location, together with the
insulate orientation of the site,
gives it an excellent oceanic
climate where it receives warm
moisture-laden prevailing winds
off the North Atlantic drift which clearly provide the ambience necessary for maximum growth.

Not having any hybrids, the only variation of Asplenium marinum appears to be the
elongation of all its parts. The fronds were up to 55cm in length and the pinnae were much
elongated, up to 54mm, and tapered almost to a point.

ere are sizes quoted in the literature of 18” - (46cm) in dripping caves (Francis G. Heath
ern Paradise, 1880, p.429) and one or two feet or even more - 46cm (30-60cm) or more
: E.Soweby Ferns of Great Britain, 1885, p.51). James Britten in his European Ferns (p.99)
state “The other extreme in size is also recorded by the author just quoted [Newman] who
mentions specimens in Guernsey having fronds
two feet or even thirty inches long” and on page
100 quoting from Moore “The largest form of the
species is the Channel Islands plant called
Parallelum, the fronds of which are as much as
feet long with long narrow and very distant
pinnae). The largest frond reproduced in Moore
and |Lindley’s Nature Printed Ferns is 18” -
(46cm) long

I raise the question and seriously float the idea
that the ferns on Rathlin Island are the longest
found this century.

ss

14 Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998)

DICKSONIA ANTARCTICA IN TASMANIA.
SOME BACKGROUND TO THE ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST
LARGE-SCALE HARVESTING FROM THE WILD
Michael Garrett, PO Box 49, Bichemo, Tasmania, Australia 7215
Dicksonia to the eastern Australian States of Tasmania, Victoria, New South
Wales and Queensland. It is an important and c hte component of wet forests in
Tasmania, but is just as common in sheltered gullies in areas of lower rainfall (Figure 1,2).
Because of its preference for moist sites, it is more common in unmet than in other Australian

of the number of D. antarctica plants occurring on all land tenures in Tasmania is in the vicinity
of 120 million (Forestry Commission 1989).
Dicksonia antarctica is the most easily recognised fern to most Tasmanians and is known
colloquially as ‘manfern’. This common name is now occasionally used on “yigmerag dee:
but it has its origins in Tasmania. Bracken fern (Preridium esculentum) is p yo
native fern species that is just as well known to average Tasmanians, but as this species is such
an invasive and vigorous grower, more often than not it is presumed to be an introduced weed.

common name ‘manfern’ also leads to the incorrect assumption that there is a ‘lady fern’
and that cross-fertilisation is required between the tw

ell as being a seed bed Hoe ones forest plants, Dickson antarctica is an important host

for some other fern species. It bstrate, or one of several principal
substrates, for twelve epiphytic fern species (particularly filmy ferns) 3 in Tasmania. In addition,
its trunk is a minor host to a further four epiphytic fern species, and 15 usually terrestrial fern
species (including D. antarctica itself) have been occasionally cma growing from it. None
of the above species is rare, endangered or restricted in its distributio

Dicksonia antarctica would appear to be remarkably stable in its macro-characteristics
throughout its range in Tasmania. The only variant I have seen (and only on a few occasions) is
a form with a single trunk topped with hundreds of small crowns. In all cases the plants have
been infertile. Multi-trunked plants with several crowns are not uncommon, but are formed as a
result of several sporelings having grown in such close proximity that their trunks have fused
with a age.

icksonia antarctica is widely grown in Tasmanian gardens. There are no official statistics,
but I would estimate that the number of gardens containing at least one plant of the species may
be as great as one in every four. These plants have either been gathered from the bush by the
householder or purchased from a nursery or other outlet. In nearly all cases they are trunked
plants that have been sawn off at the base. Occasionally, trunkless plants of an equally abundant
species, Polystichum proliferum, are removed from the wild and replanted under the
misconception that they are young manferns. These plants nowhere near reach the proportions
of D. antarctica, and may then be regarded by some home gardeners as the manfern’s elusive
better-half or ‘lady fern’. Due to its mistaken maT P. proliferum then becomes the second
most widely planted fern in Tasmanian garden
For successful cultivation in Tasmania, D. antarctica requires a position out of strong sun
and wind but with an ample supply of moisture. The choice of substrate would seem to be of
little concern. Years ago I rescued from the bush a 2 m tall trunk that had been felled and left to
die. Having no immediate place to plant it, I left the trunk standing upright on a concrete path
on the shady and moist side of the house. There it stayed and produced and kept a healthy, green
crown of fronds for the remaining years I lived there. Its roots grew horizontally over the
concrete and in time formed a flat 10 cm thick ‘trunk’ about 3m2! Another experience I had
any years earlier is much more baffling. In those days a common practice was for i to be
dicaa into slices several centimetres thick for use as stepping ‘stones’ in gardens. I was
renovating an old garden and had great difficulty in removing some of these manfern stepping
stones as they had taken root!

Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998) 15

Plants are removed from the bush by cutting through the trunk at the desired height. The
remaining stump does not reshoot. At this stage all fronds are also removed for ease of handling
and to prevent water loss through transpiration. Some nurseries and roadside stalls sell trunks
with fronds intact as an incentive to buy, but these fronds soon whither and die.
replanted with approximately one-third of the trunk below-ground so as to adequately secure the
plant. If the soil is kept moist then a vigorous root system quickly develops from all parts of the
trunk below-ground. New fronds also quickly emerge, with their number depending on the time
of year. Trunks harvested in late winter produce a complete flush of croziers in early spring.
Trunks harvested at other times will send up occasional fronds until the flush of the next spring.
The least productive time to harvest trunks is during late spring when the spring flush of fronds
are removed, or in early spring when the easily-damaged croziers are emerging. Ideally, trunks
should be harvested in winter and replanted before the emergence of the spring flush of fronds.
This guarantees an almost ‘instant’, fully fronded plant. (In practice, winter can be the worst
time to harvest when conditions are wettest underfoot.) The fronds in this first flush show no
signs of the dramatic events that have taken place to the plant, and have the potential to attain
the size of those fronds on an unharvested plant. That potential can only be reached when the
trunk is replanted where conditions are ideal. If not, the fronds become dwarfed, burnt and
deformed especially when subjected to the drying effects of wind. Successive flushes of fronds
during the next several years decrease in size and vigour when growing conditions are less than
ideal. The first flush is using energy stored in the trunk from the previous season’s growth, and
flushes of croziers are a common sight from dry trunks stockpiled and awaiting sale even where
peal: to full sun and strong wind.

s they can easily be penetrated by the roots of other plants, and because of their capacity
for holding moisture, harvested trunks (with their crown removed) are often sculpted into plant
tubs or even fancier plant containers such as wheelbarrows. Trunks are also milled and the fibre
used as a major ingredient in potting mixes. Although a practice very much frowned upon today,
trunks were once widely laid down side-by-side as a solid base for walking tracks in muddy
areas. These trunks were felled in the course of track-making, and croziers and fronds emerging
from the ‘side’ of the track were a common sight.

Personal observations in the wild in Tasmania have shown D. antarctica to be very
successful at regenerating from spore. In fact, at favourable sites, sporelings are just as prolific
as those of opportunistic and ‘weedy’ native fern species such as Histiopteris incisa an
Hypolepis rugosula. Such favourable sites are often those found following logging operations
in high-rainfall areas where there is ample disturbed soil. My guess is, that at such sites, nearly
every D. antarctica spore germinates. That is, nearly every spore released from the plant that
comes to rest where there is at least SOME moisture and light available. The greater the light
availability, the quicker the germination rate. But, although most at least begin the germination
process, the vast majority wither and die in the first few days or weeks due to the lack of a
consistent moisture supply, or by being displaced to a less favourable position by such actions
as rain or animal movement. As the gametophyte has no root system for taking up moisture,
great losses occur also amongst prothalli in their first months of growth. The decline continues
during the first two to three years for th with the added disadvantage of moisture
being required to facilitate fertilisation between ae adjacent prothalli for sporophyte
production. As the sporophyte grows and develops a root and vascular system it becomes
capable of withstanding longer periods of dryness. So, in summary, it is only those spores that
by chance come to rest in a microsite (or indeed, nanosite) that can sustain the ideal conditions
of light and moisture for at least the first several years of the plant’s growth, that have any
maggie of successfully germinating and reaching adulthood.

artner in a fern Eo nursery in Tasmania, over the last couple of years, I have
spied thousands of spore-grown tubes of D. antarctica to a customer in mainland Australia
n exports them to England. “Compared with mont oe commercially grown species they
are sy in all stages of g y be very erratic. The fact that the
finished product is a Jingle plant fan i in my opinion a Sores shonid be) results in further losses
during stages of clump division. On the plus side, obtaining any quantity of fresh spores is no

+h

16 Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998)

problem for one frond releases more than enough for one year’s sowing, and except for the some
problems associated with the late prothallial stage, the young plant is virtually free of any attack
from pathogens. Given that during the last few years there has been a general decline in the
nursery industry in Australia, and concomitantly a perceived general decline in horticultural
interest in ferns, we have
had more time to
experiment with prop-
agation of the species. It
is now one of our more
successful lines (in terms
of e of propagation),
whaieg “asi one of our
slowest.

has never been

antarctica in Tasmania. In

October 1994 the

Australian Federal Gov-
t

Figure 1: Dicksonia antarctica growing in wet sclerophyll forest in sdiediupsind
northern Tasmania, showing its new spring growth torium on the export of D.
antarctica trunks origin-

ing from Tasmania

pe — the completion of an appropriate management plan. The ea of this plan are to
regulate its commercial harvest at a permanently sustainable level while ensuring the

sek of the species across its present geographical range in Tasmania. The moratorium
is still in St as some details of the plan have yet to be finalised.
ave in the past been harvested from forests earmarked for such severe disturbances

as eeateliins for Eucalyptus oe plantation establishment, or road or transmission
line construction, from sites due to be impounded for hydro-electricity development, and from
other sites in State forest at the ae of forestry officers. There has been no control over
harvesting on private lan

Because of this lack of control over harvesting and exporting of trunks in the —_ there are
conflicting estimates as to the numbers that have already left Tasmania. For example, licences
issued for harvesting from State forest for a twelve month period ending in 1985 accounted for
15,000 lineal metres (Neyland 1986) (i.e. probably equates to 10,000 - 20,000 trunks). However,
one harvester alone was in reality known to have exported 200,000 lineal metres to Victoria over
the same period (Neyland
1986). Braggins (1991)
states that annually some
two million trunks are
available
Australian domestic
market, these having been
harvested from Tasmania
during post- logging sal-

Tasmanian origin have
been exported since late
1994

Figure 2: Dicksonia antarctica surviving in less than ideal conditions at a One of the likely
site in Tasmania which had previously been logged then burnt outcomes of the manage-

Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998) 17

ment plan will be the implementation of a workable tagging system. All trunks would be
individually tagged at point of harvest and any untagged trunks offered for sale would be
presumed illegally harvested. Licences would be issued only to those harvesters who satisfied
certain stringent regulations. The industry would become levy-driven with monies used for
monitoring such things as D. antarctica ie MBER at harvesting sites and for research into
propagation and the possibilities of farming the speci

There are several propagators supplying spore- onus tubes of D. antarctica in Tasmania,
and trials have already begun into the feasibility of large-scale growing of the species as an
understorey crop in dual-crop plantations. Eucalyptus plantation establishment in northern
Tasmania is presently at the rate of 3500-4500 hectares per annum (Unwin & hunt 1996) and
the results of studies by Unwin and Hunt (1996) suggest that D. antarctica may be
physiologically suited to their understorey environments

bservations indicate that Dicksonia trunks eras in height at an estimated rate of 3.5-
Sem per year. Allowing between 3 and 6 years for trunk initiation following planting of tubes,
under eee conditions a 100cm trunk may be reached after approximately 30 years. It
remains to be seen whether the plantation growth rates will coincide with the Eucalyptus
rotation rates of 18-28 years for pulpwood or 25-35 years for sawlog production.

The Forestry Commission (1989) (now Forestry Tasmania) estimates that if harvested on a
85 year rotation, an annual cut of 235,000 trunks from State forest in Tasmania is sustainable.
Their figure rises to 500,000 trunks per annum with the addition of harvesting on private land.
However, they predict that populations on private land would be quickly depleted if harvested
at that rate of 265,000 per annum, as much of this land is to be managed for pulpwood with a
much shorter rotation rate of 50 years in regenerated forest.

Forest-based industries have historically formed an important part of the Tasmanian
economy, and are likely to remain so in the future. While regrowth or virgin forests continue to
be logged, many thousands of D. antarctica plants will be destroyed in the process unless that
resource can be a utilised. That use would appear obvious. At odds with this assertion
however, is Tasmania’s aim to maintain a ‘clean and green’ image overseas. It is highly
conceivable that, nt of how right or wrong the practice is, it may raise a few eyebrows
when viewed from afar.

REFERENCES
Braggins, D.J. 199). Presentation report on trade in treeferns. In: Summary and Working papers
of the CITES Plants Committee meeting, Zomba, Malawi. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Forestry Commission 989. Treefern Management Plan. 290 pp., Forestry Coaauinsion
Tasm obart
Garrett, M. 1996. The Fe erns of Tasmania. Their Ecology and Distribution. 217 pp., Tasmanian
Forest Research Council, Hobart.
Neyland, M.G, 1986. Conservation and Management of Treeferns in Tasmania. 96 pp., Wildlife
Division Technical Report 86/1. National Parks and Wildlife Service, Tasmania.
Unwin, G.L. & Hunt, M.A. 1996. Conservation and management of soft treefern Dicksonia
antarctica in relation to commercial forestry and horticulture. In: J.M. Camus, M. Gibby
dR. J. Johns (eds). Pteridology in Perspective, pp. 125-137, Royal Botanic Gardens,
ew.

18 Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998)

A MEMOIR OF WILLIAM HENRY PHILLIPS (1830-1923)

Paul Hackney and Vivienne Pollock, Ulster Museum, Belfast BT9 5AB

W. H. Phillips was President of the British Pteridological Society in 1904-5 and was an
enthusiastic collecctor of native fern cultivars which he grew in his garden at Lemonfield,
wood, Co Down. He was a friend and mentor of the celebrated Irish naturalist Robert Lloyd
Praeger, himself a native of Holywood a small town on the shores of Belfast Lough about four
miles from Belfast, and it was Praeger who wrote the obituary which appeared in The Irish
Naturalist. Praeger had collaborated with Phillips to write The Ferns of Ulster which was
published in January 1887 as an appendix to the Proceedings of the Belfast Naturalistsi Field
Club, a work which catalogued all the species and varieties of ferns recorded, with their general
distributions and localities, from Ulster's nine counties plus a part of Co Sligo, essentially a
provincial fern flora. His association with the Belfast Naturalists{ Field Club was a long one,
being a founder member (the club was formed in 1863), later becoming its Treasurer for twenty-
me ae =cee—=—z, five years and its President for
\ the two years 1905 to 1907.
Praeger records in the obituary
w club’s annual
conversaziones frequently
featured displays of dried ferns
set out by Phillips.

Recently, during a prolonged
cataloguing phase of the Ulster
Museum's herbarium (BEL), a
collection of dried ferns, labelled
with cultivar names and
evidently belonging to Phillips
was discovered in the herbarium
- the labels bear Phillips' name on
the reverse of fragments of
Treasurer's forms from _ the
BNFC. The collection is partly
mounted on sheets of very large
size (580mm x 880mm and
580mm x 445mm) and partly
= | mounted onto blotting paper of
WA Pails Abae ne a approximately . standard
(Ulster mpstlt hoe ii cet cae raia herbarium sheet size. Amongst

the specimens are some

examples of the so-called
Crawfordsburn Fern, a form of Polystichum setiferum discovered in the vicinity of
Crawfordsburn in 1861 and formerly much cultivated but perhaps now extinct (7).

Another recent find turned up in the Ulster Museum's historical collections - the discovery
of three lantern slides which show Phillips in his garden at Lemonfield. The one reproduced here
Shows him attending to the care of part of his very large living collection, with pot plants of
harts-tongue (Asplenium scolopendrium) and what appears to be southern pc J
(Polypodium cambricum) in th ¢ 7 é
| ough a mass of cultivated soft-shield ferns Polystichum setiferum) and standing beside a
four-bar gate on which is seated an unknown companion of about the same age smoking a pipe.

Phillips’ collection at Lemonfield was reputedly very comprehensive in terms of forms of

native Irish ferns and it is a great pity that nothing seems to be known of its fate after his death
in 1923.

PS 2

~~

Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998) 19

A VARIETY OF VARIETIES
Heather McHaffie, 108 Granton Road, Edinburgh EHS 1AH

For the last three years I have been cultivating A. distentifolium and A. flexile and have grown
large numbers of plants. This has given me the opportunity to compare parent morphology with
the diverse progeny which resulted.

My first spores of A. flexile came from Martin Rickard, from a plant which Jimmy Dyce
collected on Ben Alder in the early 1970s. The offspring from this plant were very similar, but
distinct forms have emerged in sowings from other individuals. The most frequent variety which
occurred is one which was first grown by Stansfield. Lowe (1876) in Our Native Ferns gives
this description:

Var. Laciniatum

Raised in 1858 in the fernery of Messrs Stansfield of Tormorden. It is ee aa from the

variety Flexile by its densely set and laciniated pinnae; the pinnae are recurved towards the base
of the stipes, brief and rounded at the end; pinnae decurrent, vag dentate or secdaiaied. and
densely set. Veins branched, venules simply furcate. Sori me

The plants are distinctive while still very young. The fronds are thick-textured, with a matt
surface, not very vigorous and darker green than usual. The frond has a very irregular outline
and looks as if it has been pruned by a passing slug or la). So far, none of my plants have
been fertile. An Herbarium sheet in the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh shows a typical
pd oice labelled 'Polypodium alpestre flexile var. aus Stansfield, October 1864". It has

only occurred in association with flexile. This variety was mentioned as Pseudathyrium alpestre
var. laciniatum by Druery (1911), but has not been in cultivation for some time. Kaye (1968)
recorded no varieties of A. distentifolium or A. flexile. I have never found it in the wild, but a
1990 specimen collected by David Tennant in the Cairngorms has all the appearance of this
variety. It is in the herbarium of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.

It was found that when provided with continuous warmth, an extended daylength and
frequent repotting, these alpine plants were easily grown indefinitely in a greenhouse. nai
batches se A. flexile plants from two localities in particular, Creag Meagaidh near Loch Laggan
and Beinn ai Chreachain near Bridge of Orchy produced abundant bulbils under these
panei ‘ careful search of other cultivated flexile plants from most of the known sites
produced the occasional example. No bulbils were found in the field, but they might be
produced in an extended growing season. The bulbils were usually eciegneie to the — of the
lowest pair of pinnae and soon extended roots (Figure 2). The bulbiferous plants d d very
dense crowns.

Another variety came up in a single collection of spores from one A. flexile plant from Beinn
Eibhinn, not far (as the raven flies) from Ben Alder. This form is very small and congested, with
po overlapping — ae 3). It has not yet been fertile and may be sterile. It has neat

as irregular watering has led to distortion in the frond shape.

atte of the a. flexile — at Benigt of es sah a — wide — peeaiety near the

ase and many of th arger than th else. Druery (1911)

mentions another form of flexile, var. Cision se was finely tasselled: I have not found
anything like this.

My first plants of A. distentifolium were grown from spores collected at Bidean nam Bian
in Glencoe and Creag Meagaidh. These both produced two distinct forms, one flatter fronded
and more ileafyi, the other with down curving pinnules. These are observed in the wild and
occur regardless of shade or exposure. Some fronds are more finely cut than others which have
a denser frond (Figures 1b & Ic) Several batches of A. distentifolium have produced an odd
form where the pinnae are hardly divided into pinnules (Figs 1d & le) A coarse form of
distentifolium is also sometimes seen with very broad pinnae, broad pinnules, rather large in
proportion to the overall size of the frond. The frond is usually very short and wide

Figure la var. laciniatum

Figure 1b dense

A.distentifolium

Figure Ic finely cut
A. distentifolium

x 4

“4
i!

Figure Id uncut
A.distentifolium

Figure le extreme uncut
A.distenfolium

c

0

=>

) € *€ ISISO[OPLHIa1g

(8661

Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998) 21

Without illustrations or herbarium specimens it is difficult to match these observations to
previously recorded varieties. Lowe (1876) gives two varieties for A. distentifolium:
var. Tripinnatum
onds tripinnate and large, the pinnules attaining a length of an inch and a half; oblong-
ovate. Found by Mr G. Lawson at the Wells of Dee, in Aberdeenshire.
var. Lanceum
Subtripinnate and large; the pinnules elongate and ovate, lanceolate more or less and
profoundly pinnatifid; the pinnules bluntly serrated. This variety was found on the Clova
Mountains by Mr G. Lawson and at Lochnagar, Aberdeenshire by Mr Croal
the herbarium of the Botanic Garden in Edinburgh there are several fronds of another
variety collected by E.S. Marshall from Creag Meagaidh and labelled ‘Athyrium alpestre Milde,
probably var. obtusatum Syme’. This looks like the narrower-fronded form (Figure 1c) and is
also illustrated by Manton (1950
Another striking variety which is found in North America has been called A. distentifolium
var. or subsp. americanum (Butters) Lellinger. This attractive fern has divided pinnules cut
almost to the midrib. The description of Lowe's var. Tripinnatum sounds not unlike it. I have
some young sporophytes which already look
distinctive.
Few of these ferns are more than two years old
and I intend to continue to grow ar
varieties in the garden and watch their future
development with interest.

Bulbils

Conjested flexile from Beinn Eibhinn

REFERENCES
Druery, C. T. 1911. British Ferns And Their Varieties. Routledge, London.
Kaye, R. 1968. Hardy Ferns. Faber & Faber, London.
Lowe, E. J. 1876. Our Native Ferns. Vol. 1 George Bell and Sons, London.
Manton, I. 1950. Problems of Cytology and Evolution in the Pteridophyta. C.U.P. Cambridge.

22 Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998)

RESTORED VICTORIAN FERNERY ON THE ISLAND OF BUTE

James Merryweather, Department of Biology, University of York, YO1 SYW
Alastair C. Wardlaw,92 Drymen Road, Bearsden, Glasgow G61 2SY

Surely one of the most significant (and least publicised) pteridological events in Britain of the
last two years was the opening of this restored Victorian Fernery. It is a story of past love,
neglect and decay, accidental discovery in a ‘jungle’, and romantic and dedicated rebuilding and
restocking. The place is Ascog Hall, the location is the Island of Bute in the Clyde Estuary (Fig
1), and the energetic restorers are Wallace and Katherine Fyfe who own the property.

The story starts around 120 years ago and is reported in The Gardeners’ Chronicle of
October 25, 1879, when the fernery had recently been completed. This early article, illustrated

bos aster

Figure |. Ascog Hall on the Island of Bute, showing access from the mainland.

with a woodcut showing tree-ferns (Fig 2), describes much of what the visitor sees again today.
For the restorers, it provided details of the construction and a list of the ferns in the original
collection.

en the Fyfes stumbled on the ruined structure about 20 years ago, they at first did not
recognise its true nature. It was totally derelict, the roof having coll psed and the interior cavity,
like the basement of an ancient building, was choked with trees and brambles. Miraculously, one
large fern had survived, a Todea barbara (Figure 5), with a mountainous rhizome about a metre
in diameter and 1.5 metres high, still visible today.

The basic structure is an L-shaped c yon, excavated in a natural bank and with a span roof,
of metal girders and glass, at ground level. Thus one enters the structure by going down steps
as if into a grotto (Figure 6). This semi-burial in the ground allows the fernery to be unheated
and yet be suitable for a wide range of sub-tropical vegetation. Indeed, in summer, there is a
problem of keeping it cool, even with all the vents open. The interior walls are of the local red-
sandstone, in blocks of menhir dimensions that are very sculptural and pleasing. At the far end
1s a waterfall which divides into a stream that meanders down the centre around a pool with an
elongated island crammed with ferns. The whole interior has to be watered every day.

The original builders, and modern restorers, knew all about the psychology of surprise,
because the fernery does not properly disclose itself until you are actually inside. You go down
steps to an ordinary wooden door, under a sandstone arch. that might lead into a storage shed.

Pteridologist 3 1998) 23

_

But instead, you find yourself making a transition into an unexpected, brightly-lit world almost
of make-believe, with a large Dicksonia antarctica right in front

Everything is identified with professionally-produced engraved labels. The section at the
entrance is mainly for Atlantic Island ferns, planted in crevices and natural shelves on the
sandstone walls. Among the species are Adiantum reniforme, Asplenium pea um and A.
hemionitis, Culcita macroc ian Dryopteris crispifolia and Woodwardia radicans. Then in
succession there are sections for ferns from South-East Asia, China and Japan, South America
and Australasia. pa ary striking are the several species of tree-fern, in addition to the
Dicksonia antarctica: D. squarrosa, Cibotium schiedei, Cyathea cooperi, C. lunulata, and C.
milnei.

Suffice it to say there is a feast of mainly exotic species, but it is alleged to include
ae nophyllum tunbrigense, growing in an odd fashion in a very damp situation « on the trunk

e T. barbara. It is difficult be certain that it is not the more likely H. wilsonii. When we
wane in the summer of 1997, the Fyfes had representatives of some of the aaa for sale.

Credits for the restoration must go to Historic Scotland for helping to fund the new
greenhouse roof, which would have been impossibly expensive for private owners, and to the
Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, for much of the restocking of the fernery. But the major
credit must be reserved for Wallace and Kath Fyfe for their vision, initiative and sheer hard work
to sn the dlageaes restored and then to maintain it.

nformation: Wallace and Katherine Fyfe, Ascog Hall, Isle of Bute, Strathclyde,

soda. TEL 01700- wiped

Website: http://www. york.ac.uk/d /biol/web/units/ 1/ elcome.htm

The garden is open mid-April to mid- October: closed ¢ on Tuesdays. has el from Glasgow 50
minutes by road or rail to Wemyss Bay, then 30 minutes by ferry (every 45 minutes) and 3 miles
by road on Bute. Nearby is Mount Stuart House, also worth visiting, while the island of Bute
itself has much else of botanical, historical and scenic interest.

Figure 2. Illustration: The Gardener’s Cronicle 1879 edad with permission).

Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998)

x
a
»*
F

. ter

=

Ba

tells

Figure 5: The original Todea barbara

Figure 6: The entrance

Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998) 25

Some Thoughts on landscaping with ferns
Neil Timm, The Fern Nursery, Grimsby Road, Binbrook, sais: LN8 6DH

This article makes no clam mo be a Diigo review, of the enormous subject, which the
title could be said to writing it, is simply to arrange in a formal
ashion, a number of random thoughts which 1 have had on this matter in recent times.
Hopefully, however, it will prove to be of interest to the members. At the least as a stimulant to
their own thoughts, especialy, as it is a subject, which I am often disapointed to find, is but
weakly covered in most fern literature. Apart, that is, for one old chestnut of which more may
be said later.

To begin with it seems like a good idea to clarify, exactly, what we get, in landscaping
terms, from ferns. It seems to me that, they have three important qualities, which distinguish
them from other plants, and are of value to us in garden design. Firstly, they are entirely
dependant on foliage for their effect, and that this foliage is very strong indeed on the quality of
pattern. Secondly, that the overall shape of the plant is important to its impact on the garden
scene. And thirdly, (since I am talking here mainly of temperate woodland, ground layer ferns),
that they tend to have a fairly consistent, and predictable size. By which I mean that, they grow
to some sort of maturity in a few years, and then, especially if kept well and divided now and
again, can be expected to retain a fairly constant size for a good while. These three qualities, if
we stop for a moment to think, in one group of plants are quite unusual, since the first two, are
normally only found Re _ woody plants, and the third papel in herbaceous perrenials.
All of which of course is to make no men tion, of the overwelmin e of pure lush greenness.
Especially for those “ike find that in a modern world, where vihtind colour is constantly
inflicted on us, that the traditional veiw of a garden, as a blaze of colour, no longer wholly
satisfies.

Even given my short and probably incomplete list, it would seem that ferns, therefore, well
deserve a good deal of care and attention in their garden use and display. The properties of
pattern and form to begin with, obviously deserve to be enhanced as much as possible.
Therefore, as the natural and best way to enhance pattern, is of course, to repeat it; it is, ] am
sure you will agree, even more valuable with ferns, to plant in clumps of three, four or even
more, than it is with most perennials. Not to say that it is ever wrong to plant ferns singly; but
if we wish to repeat, the sort of spectacle, often given by large banks of ferns. Which most
members must surely have admired, growing wild in our woodlands. Then it is well to be aware
that this effect depends, on a certain amount of uniformity, and could be harmed by too diverse
a collection of plants. Pattern and form can also be lost, if other types of plant material, similar
in size but different in form, are placed close to the ferns. This I think is the main problem in
mixing shrubs with ferns, though certainly, the obvious cultural fact, that shrubs are ferns'
natural competitors, for space, light and soil does not help. If planting shrubs with ferns I would
tend therefore, to use only single well spaced bushes, which could be seen from all sides, thus
setting up a pattern of their own, to complement that of the ferns. The low hanging foliage of
trees can also have a weakening effect on a visual pattern, and it would seem to be, in general,
good practice to keep this well clear by pruning, with the bonus that this uncovers more of the
trees trunks. Hopefully if you have more than one tree, forming their own pattern, this inevitably
makes the perfect, and most classic compliment for the ferns we could wish for. I would
perhaps also wish, in my garden, even at a much lower level, to restrict myself to plants having
good shape and form, avoiding as far as possible all intrusive perennials and ground cover. This
would mean, only strongly formed plants in their own right, like the candelabra primulas,
Bergenias and Hostas, so often used, and fine low ground cover plants like mosses or the
pearlworts. When growing ferns in a naturalistic setting, it would of course be only natural, to
restrict the accompanying ground cover still more, to only those plants, you might find growing
with ferns in the wild, but as there are no shortage of these, such as Ajuga reptans and heather
etc.,(not to mention the smaller ferns like vermin terse this should be no problem. I think
that it would also be well within the abilities, of i ma ve gardeners to create much interest
in the form of ground cover, using only hard matterials. I jealies naturally that growing ferns in
rockeries is quite conventional, but I have seen ide dntagies of ferns used with hard matterials,
on the flat; that is to say, with rocks, gravels, pebbles and other forms of ‘scree’. Perhapes with

% Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998)

polythene used in the usual fashion, to deter weeds. This form of planting certainly looks very
natural and, from my own experience, ferns do indeed revel in this form of mulching, though
the tidying of dead fronds etc. may need a little more attention.

While most people think of ferns, for the most part as plants for the wilder parts of the
garden, there is of course, no reason why they should not be used in a much more formal way.
Indeed their qualities of having, fairly, predictable shape, form, and size, lends them ideally to
this use. Why not for example, replace the gravel or scree matterials just discussed, with the
paving of patio or path. All that is needed, is to lift a single paver, and to plant the fern. It will
love the cool root run afforded by the paving, and you can rely on it not needing constant
pruning or clipping, to prevent it overwhelming the light and space intended for us. Another
practise very like this, which I have seen used in the past to great effect, is to use ferns to mark
the corners of paths and similar places. I would consider that, in settings like these, the strong
form of many ferns, gives a grace and dignity,with perhapes a hint of the victorian. This well
justifies their use, away from their native haunts of wood and wilderness. For those who do not
find that the attachment of ferns to wilderness is too strong for their taste to enable them to
accept the use of any pteridophytes in a formal garden setting, there are a multitude of ideas

which spring to mind. Ferns are, for example, ideal for use as edgings and in many of the
landscaping roles, where plants like box would often be used; this is especially true of the
smaller evergreen ferns, like Scolopendriums for instance. Please see Martin H. Rickards article,
in the Pteridologist, Vol.2 Part1, for suggestions for the use of Polypodiums in this e
of large ranges of ferns to make formal patterns by interplanting materials, like wee could
with a little imagination, be stretched almost infinitely to make all manner of knot gardens,
Simpler geometric and free forms mixed with the hard materials, or more subtly, to soften larger
areas of hard landscaping, with a splash or two of quiet greenness inserted among the paving.

Much can in fact be done in the wilder part of the garden by planting in lines or various
planned shapes. You only need, for instance, let an irregular line of ferns weave down a slope
or hill side, with perhapes a few rocks, and a slight indentation engineered with spade and rake,
and you have subtly suggested the existence, of a rill or water-course, where none exists, whilst
a circle of ferns and horsetails in a hollow, hints at a pool or bog. This sort of simple understated
sketch of a tromp l'oeil, deserves, to my mind, much more respect and a more widespread use
than most of the aor e attempted in gardens.

Wether in the wild, or in the more domesic parts of the garden, it is often usefull to make
changes of level in cede to add drama and to raise exe nearer to, or “ren above, eye Stet It
really probably does not need me to point out the especial , of doi
this with plants of moderatly predicable size and form. In fact this i is very much the basis. atthe
which the ferneries and grotos of victorian times, which must be familiar to all members, were
built. Today, though, it is certainly not a necessary compultion of taste to go to these lengths for
simple aH beds, or hollow walls, will serve just as well, in the modern garden no

whole idea on its head, and sink the path instead although it must have both enough
width to ities plant growth and drainage must exist by natural means or other: but none of this
is difficult. Alternativly you can, if you wish, plant ferns at a lower level than the veiwer. For
one of the best ways to view the symmetry of a ferns fronds, is surely to look strait down into
the centre of the crowns from above

eaves, between the north wall and the paving. Though to my mind this is not a good w
display anything! Not that there is a thing wrong with north walls, but let us at least lift a ie
slabs and make it three feet wide please. But now I am surely begining to preach to the
converted anyway so I shall stop.

Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998) 27

GREENCOMBE - THUMBS UP

by Joan Loraine, Greencombe, Pollock, Somerset

Polystichums were Jimmy Dyce's favourite fern. I remember him stating this on more than one
occasion when we were fem-hunting together. oer are my favourite fern", he would
say, “clematis are my favourite flower, and my favourite .." But something significant always
a at this point, so I never discovered his next eae thin

n Jimmy said this he was speaking of the Soft Shield fern, Polvstidlatie setiferum, with
ey fe was not familiar until he came south from his native Scotland and went fern-hunting
in Dorset, Somerset and Devon, where the Soft Shield is very much at cn He went with

extended Jimmy's interest to include not only fem species but also fem varieties, and stirred his
hopes of discovering a new form of Polystichum setiferum 'Divisilobum', which, at that time,
was the fem of the day. His searches among those elegant shuttlecocks, through fronds that have
the quality of an etching, they are so well defined, made this his favourite fern - although, to his
grief, he, who found so many varieties, and had such a quick eye for the unusual, never came
upon a P. setiferum Divisilobum

Of course Jimmy loved the ink that has produced more varieties than any other fem is
known to have done. When Lowe in 1890 first classified this fem's inventiveness, he listed 366
named varieties. Doubtless not a few of these were almost identical. The B.P.S.'s selected list,
published in Druery's The Book of British Fems in 1902, had does = the number to
173. Alas, at the moment, this National Collection has only 90 varietie

Let us begin with the species. Of the three that are native to al jnlouts. the rarest is P.
Tonchitis, ‘the narrow-leaved polystichum' or Holly fern, with leathery texture and pinnate
fronds, a lover of limestone pockets among shaded mountain rocks. I remember Jimmy
searching the shady side of Snowdon in order to introduce me to the Holly fem. Since then I
have hunted for it in the Austrian Alps and in the Carpathians but have never found it in a group
or colony, always on its own, beside a rock, at least five a from its closest neighbour. At the
moment, true to style, it is one on its own at Greenc

Polystichum aculeatum, the ‘hard shield fem’, is a h k, shiny, wintergreen
and hard to the touch. "If you're in doubt", Jimmy es me a my salad days, "Feel the
frond. That's the way to be sure".

Apart from feeling, there are two ways of recognising Polystichum, and the first is revealed
to us in the name, which comes from Greek: polys for many and stichos for rows, referring to
the lines of sori on the backs of fertile fronds. The vemacular name 'Shield', which is also used
in German, indicates the round membrane or indusium that protects these sori; the central stalk,
that holds it in place, makes it resemble a shield.

e second method of recognition is even easier and provides a simple name: the 'thumbs-
up fem’. This. although my invention, was a gift from Jimmy. With characteristic enthusiasm,
he had undertaken to teach me all the fairly common ferns over one brief weekend. When I
hesitated over naming a Polystichum, he pointed out that each pinnule had a small thumb-like
protrusion on the stalk side. This was great information. Moreover, I realised gradually that this
thumb is the hall-mark, the indisputable sign, of Polystichum right across the world; there are
some 225 species and they are all 'thumbs-up' ferns. It gives them a name that everybody can
pronounce and everybody wants to understand - and when people are shown the thumbs, they
feel they have been admitted to a secret

I have had to import Polystichum aculeatum, and have obtained its variety 'Grandiceps', but
the ‘thumbs-up’ that was Jimmy's favourite fern grows naturally on this dry acid north-facing
slope. It belongs here, where the land drops from the hills of Exmoor to Porlock Bay and the
Severn Sea. About quarter of a mile away there is a colony of several acres uninterrupted
plete ea setiferum, forming ground cover under old oak. That colony has been my way-

mar. ted the National Thumbs-up Collection to look as lovely and inevitable as those
pata ey to form an intrinsic part of the garden - not some well-meant imposition, to add
interest and beauty, to proclaim the wonder of the ferns, and to make this wonder more
comprehensible to the viewer. There were to be no labels, which get moved, and lost, by

aA +t]

28 Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998)

P.setiferum. a. 'acutilobum' probably 'Hartley'.xl, b,
A probably wild plant with 9 crowns and 70 fronds held just
above horizontal. x0.6

Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998) 29

badgers, birds, dogs, cats and squirrels, as well as humans. Instead, the fems were to be grouped
in such a way that a written guide with names could be followed easily.

eant reorganising the varieties of Soft Shield fern into groups, according to their Lint
of variation - but not, unfortunately, starting as though from scratch, with a clear sheet, becau
it was essential to avoid needless disturbance, especially to non-fertile fems. The result is a
‘Polystichum Walk’, dictated, to a great extent, by the ferns themselves

It begins on the main lawn.

Before my time - which means before 1966 - a handsome Polystichum setiferum '‘Acutilobum'
was planted there in a sunny place. It was probably planted about 1950 and has formed 20
crowns, the tallest of which is 10 inches high. (Jimmy always said that all fems approximate to
the condition of tree ferns). It has a distinctive airy look, with beat — held maespoetally, as in
P. setiferum 'Acutilobum Hartley’; it has never along
the rachis which might tum into bulbils were it in a shadier place. This acutilobe is 1 responsible
for the 15 others in this part of the garden and for many that have been given away. Its first
sporling is identical and quite a few are similar, but it now includes a good divisilobe among its
ee I re r Cr: from this one fem fascinating. Holding the fronds horizontally
o, in all but one, has the lack of bulbils. Their greatest beauty
is uncurling in spring, with every rolled-up frond and pinna tip silver-white.
are no longer the only acutilobes in the garden. A few years ago a North Devon family
chanced to hear that Greencombe had the National Polystichum Collection, so they brought me
a bulbil-grown plant from a fern found by a grandparent in the 1890s, and treasured by them
every since. This is 'Granny Thorn's fem’ a good acutilobum, laden with bulbils which, on
horizontal fronds, are produced at soil level. I am hoping to leave these to grow where they are.
umbs-up walk continues, inside First Wood, with the foliose group, in which the fems
are strikingly different from the fine acutilobes in the garden. This group is here because, by
happy chance, in 1976, I planted Polystichum setiferum ‘Plumosum Grande Kaye’ in this area,
not knowing then what a treasure I had. It had been less than six inches high when I bought it,
at Waithman's Nursery, on Reggie Kaye's advice. "That'll be good", he said, picking one out
from a group of youngsters and putting it in the box of ferns we had collected together. It was
golden-green and upright and has remained so ever since. Now it is over three feet high; it does
not flop, nor need support, but produces neither spore nor bulbils. In 22 years I have secured one
other plant: the original made a small secondary crown, which I severed, taking as much root as
possible; then, potted up, it was kept in the Intensive Care Unit for a year. It is now as good as
its parent, and planted nearby. When I did the same thing a few years later, the offset died.
One of the National Collection rulings is to have three plants of each type; these would
normally come from three different sources, but in this case that is impossible. I wonder what
happened to the other sporelings in that batch - or did Reggie's knowing eye pick out the best?
The next time I was with him in Silverdale I asked whether the fern had come from the famous
P. setiferum 'Plumosum Mol'y. "No, no", he said, "It was not Moly's, it was mine: 'Plumosum
Kaye"

A few years later I obtained a P. setiferum 'Plumosum grande Moly’, and planted it opposite
plumosum Kaye, so that the two could be compared with ease. Moly holds the fronds at an angle
of about 40 degrees, and may, in future, with the vigour of maturity, need support; Kaye has
never been propped and, to date, is both taller and more plumose.

Another of the best fems in this sroup is eu ba Reggie's breeding: P. seqiferian oe
Kaye’. It is distinctive a f tk twist near the top of the fron
erect, handsome and very foliose, i is hie fettile. This is the distinctive difference belween
‘plumose' and ‘foliose’; it called plumose are sterile and those called foliose are fertile, but I
have planted them as one group because, to the eye, the outstanding characteristic is the fulness
of the pinnule, and consequent resemblance of the pinna to a small frond. It is a beautiful group
and contains also P. setiferum Ss grande Walton’, which holds the fronds just above
horizontal and comes true from

The next section I originally Leeks as 'multifide or forked’, but this is an ugly use of language
and conjures up no image. Instead, I would like to call it branched. It began with polystichum I

30 Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998)

P.acutilobum 'Granny Thorn’. x0.7

Pfoliosum Kaye with erect fertile fronds 30cm or more
No bulbils present. x0.7

in length.

Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998) 31

P.acutilobum omen horizontal frond
with no bulbils. c.

32 Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998)

rescued, with permission, in 1973 from Underway, the famous garden created by Norman
Hadden between 1918 and 1972 at West Porlock. The ferns were in very poor condition, having
been heavily over-shadowed for a long time; the two that are here turned out to be rather
ordinary P. setiferum 'Framosum'. Next to them is a handsome P. setiferum 'Framosum Rickard’
- very well branched - a P. setiferum 'Capitatum' from Kaye, and a fine plant given to me by Pat
Coughlin (he was a beautiful gardener and all his plants were fine) and called by him P
setiferum 'Trifidum'. At first I thought this name was accurate, but it makes more than three
divisions at the top, and then sub-divides and sub-divides again, just like the P. setiferum
‘Capitatum' from Reggie. Yet these two are visibly different; in Pat's the pinnules - which are
bigger to begin with - become foliose and ctinkly after branching, whereas in the fern from
Reggie they remain flat. Moreover, Pat's produces a fine crop of bulbils, but Reggie's not a
single one.

We move on to 'the unusual lobe’ group, in which the emphasis is on vatiation in the lobe.
Here belong, among others, P. setiferum ‘Manica infantis’, which does not mean ‘manic child’
but ‘baby's glove’, referring to the outline shape of the pinnule; P. setiferum ‘Rotundilobum’,
which has round lobes; P. setiferum 'Hirondelle', in which the narrow lobes resemble swallows
in flight; and P. setiferum 'Perserratum’ with many incisions in the lobe.

And so to the ‘crested group’, which - forgive me, Jimmy - I find fascinating; it is so richly
varied and so attractive. A tailored P. setiferum ‘Polydactylum' - or 'many flngered thumbs-up’ -
given to me by Mary Potts, has undivided sickle-shaped pinnules, that curve towards the tip and
lie flat; every pinna, and the tip, ends in neat flattened ctests, which accentuate the unusual look
of the frond. Beside this is a P. setiferum 'Cristatum' from the Whiteside collection; every pinna,
every tip, is 3D crested, as if the fem were dancing. Then comes another fine gift from Pat
Coughlin: in this P. setiferum 'Divisilobum multifidum' the curve in the fronds, upwards and
outwards, forms a central bowl, wherein the hairy chestnut-coloured rachis display their bulbils.
It is most unusual.

Superficially this looked desolate, but walking slowly over the gravel, and looking down
intently, a host of sporelings were waiting to be found among the broken glass and fallen wood.
We have reached the largest group: the divisilobes. Just as acutilobes, with the pinnule lobe
undivided, dominate the garden, so do divisilobes, with divisions in their pinnules, dominate the
beginning of Middle Wood. They are very handsome and show up well on a raised area beside
a sunken path. Perhaps the finest is one bred by Phillip Coke and called by him P setiferum
‘Divisilobum formosum’, which of course means beautiful. It is as fine as hair and bright green.
Beyond the divisilobes are the plumos-divisilobes, in which every pinna is a multi-lobed
ture, and one pinna spreads out above another, resembling lace over lace. The fronds are

How wonderful to be remembered by a fem like this: upright, glossy and dark green, 'the
graceful fronds have elongated divisions of a silky texture, the pinnae near the frond tip curving
together to form a tail’ (from Hardy Fems by Reginald Kaye). It is exceptionally elegant and one
of the most remarkable varieties ever found. On very rare occasions it produces spores, and the

Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998) 33

Pinnae of Pdivisilobum : Greencombe sporelings. a. 'Elizabeth May’, b. ‘Dolly Strangman’,
c. ‘Alice Lorraine’, d. ‘Pixie Lorraine’. Natural size

34 Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998)

results of these, in the hands of Druery and Green, were even more beautiful.

las, the Bevis group here is very poor at the moment. I planted seven, aiming at a fine
stand; they were ravaged by squirrels. Only frequent watering through last summer kept them
alive. Then a week or so ago a visiting badger helped himself to fronds, considering, no doubt,
that they would make suitable bedding.

e thumbs-up path continues, into Far Wood, with Polystichum from Japan (where there
are 30 species), Asia - including a P. stenophytlum from the Great Wall of China -, Madeira and
North America. To date there are 20 species in the collection; I do not anticipate acquiring them
all. We end in the ditch built in the 1300s, to keep the red deer from getting out. In this sheltered
place native P. setiferum flourish, some with a clockwise and some with an anti-clockwise twist
to the fronds. Not one of these originals has ever been disturbed

There is still another section, one that actually pre-dates my meeting Jimmy: the
Greencombe group. These are at the opposite end of the garden; walking back we can see what
a great contribution the thumbs-up make to the wood here, how they fumish and please. They
are delighfful in spring but to me their greatest value comes after mid-summer, as the fronds
grow and they reveal themselves. Through winter they are outstanding.

Basic care is simple. Old fronds are cut just before the new unfurl. The plants get a heavy
dressing of leaf-mould, spread one inch thick over the ground they occupy, about every 18
months. This helps to keep them moist at the roots, and reduces weed. During the growing
season they are watered, once, with liquid seaweed. Any that are running back are lifted, potted
up and retumed to the Intensive Care Unit. The advantage of this is that, potted, they do not have
to compete with the roots of other plants; they also get regular watering.

€ come to the 'Greencombii'. There must have been a time when the P setiferum
‘Plumoso-divisilobum' that was here when I came, and from whose bulbils I grew the spread in
Middle Wood, actually spored. For four years running, just a yard or two from that fern, I found
sporelings that even to my then uneducated eye were exceptional. I planted them in the same
area, and they grew, and each one is different; they are outstanding, upright, plumose-
divisilobes- unique.
at of the future? The first essential is to establish Bevis; that is vital. Then, to obtain P
setiferum 'Plumosum Druery’, one of the Bevis's outstanding off-spring; to establish the holly
fern, probably through spores; to pot up a single crown of P. setiferum 'Pulcherfimum Moly's
Cie! is

pursue the historical polystichum; and to check and re-check the way in which the groups are
organised as Jimmy, our great thumbs-up expert did, working at it when he was over 85.

A WINTERGREEN GYMNOCARPIUM
artin Rickard

M
Of all the ferns I grow on the nursery I consider the species of Gymnocarpium amongst the first
to succumb to the frost and loose their leaves, The species in question that I grow are
G.dryopteris, G.robertianum, G.jessoense and G.fedtschankianum. These are all

other four so I suspect it is only a matter of time before it is moved into a different genus. Be
that as it may, for the moment it is as far as I know still a gymnocarpium, and at the time of
writing (29.1.98) it is still wintergreen with me in an unheated polythene tunnel. The way it is
going it may turn out to be evergreen, at least in a mild winter. I have grown it for ten or fifteen
years as a garden plant, and it has done well in a sheltered spot but I cannot remember whether
it was wintergreen or not. I dug my main plant up when we moved and I now use it for showing
so I do not have it in the garden any more. Has anyone el ticed this f 2M

is reported to have originated from Papua New Guinea, but the species is well distributed
through south east Asia, including Taiwan.

Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998) 35

Fern names in Gaelic and Irish
Scottish Gaelic fern names with corresponding Irish names

Tigh Solais, North Ballachullish, Argyll, PH33 6SA.

Over the past 20 years I have been collecting Gaelic names given to Scottish flowering plants
and ferns (Clark & MacDonald, in eine aber by a list of Irish names pick up off the
Internet (Ottway 1998) by Josephine Camus and drawn to my satin I thought it might be of
interest to compare the Scottish and Irish names. In my researches I already compared those
ames published by Scannell & Synnott (1987) In a few cases ne have added (in italics)
common synonyms in the two vernacular languages. The species are listed in the order they
appear in the BSBI database at so neni University.
As with Jimmy Dyce, I am by birth an Aberdonian. I am only sorry that I cannot give a list
of Doric names. Perhaps other members can. I am most grateful to all who have contributed to

this list.

Latin Gaelic
Lycopodium clavatum

Irish

shake genie inundata

eas selaginoides

Isoetes lacustris

I. echinospora

Equisetum hyemale

E. variegatum

E. fluviatile

E. arvense

E. pratense

E. sylvaticum

E. palustre

E. telmateia

Botrychium lunaria

Ophioglossum vulgatum

O. azoricum

Osmunda regalis

Cryptogramma crispa

Adiantum capillus-veneris

Hymenophyllum tunbrigense
ilsonii

Trichomanes speciosum
Polypodium vulgare

P. interjectum

P. cambricum

Pt ori dium rlipt

Thelypteris palustris
Phegopteris connectilis
Oreopteris limbosperma

Phyllitis scolopendrium
Asplenium adiantum-nigrum

A. septentrionale

Garbhag nan Gleann
Garbhag Léa

Garbhag an Misehe
Garbhag Ailpeach
Garbhag Bheag
Luibh nan Cleiteagan
Lus cleite an earraigh

Biorag

Earball an Eich Caol

Clois

Earball an Eich Achaidh
Earball an Eich Dubharach
Cuiridin Coille

Cuiridin

Earball an Eich Mor

Lus nam Mios, Luan-lus
Teanga na Nathrach
Teanga na Nathrach Beag
Raithneach riuil

Raineach Pheirsill
Failtean-fionn

Ramegeh Comeieh Fiaclach

Clach-raineach Chaol
Clach-raineach Mheadhanach
Clach-raineach Leathann

Raineach Fhaidhbhile
Crim-raineach,
Raineach an hosed

Lus a’ Chorrain Gobhlach

Garbhégach na mbeann
Garbhégach chorraigh

Aiteann Muire, Cruibini sionnaigh

Garbhégach shléibhe
Garbhégach bheag

Lus an chleite

Luibh Cleite an Earraich
Biorég

L% h a:ich hh

Sciab eich uisce
Scuab eich ghoirt

Scuab eich choille
¢ kh oh h, sah

g

Feadég, Gliégan

Lus na miosa

Lus na teanga

Lus na teanga beag

Raineach Rioghail

Raithneach chas
‘ichosach

Dallan coille

Dallan Sléibhe

Raithneach Chill Airne

Scim chaol

Scim mheanach

Scim leathan

Raithneach mh6r

Raithneach chorraigh

Raithneach fea

Raithneach bhui
Creamh na muice fia
Fionncha dubh
Fionncha biorach
Fionncha lansach
Fionncha ladhrach

36

Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998)

A. ruta-muraria

A. trichomanes
Ceterach officinarum
Athyrium filix-femina
Gymnocarpium dryopteris
G. robertianum
Cystopteris fragilis
Polystichum lonchitis
P. aculeatum

PR oe

D. Witches

D. aemula

D. carthusiana
D. dilatata

D. affinis

Blechnum spicant
Pilularia globulifera
Azolla filiculoides

eferen
Clark, J. W. & MacDonald, I. (in press). Ainmean Gaighlig Lusan / Gaelic names of plants.

Ri Bhallaidh
Raineach na Mara
Ur-thalmhainn
Dubh-chasach
Raineach Ruadh
Raithneach Mhoire
Sgeamh-dharaich
Raineach Cloich-aoil
Frith-raineach
Raineach —

Raineach nan Radan
Mearla:

Raineach Chruaidh
Feur a’ Phiobair
(not in Scotland)

einai published, North Ballachullish

annell, Mary J.P. &. Synnott. Donal M. (1987).

Luibh na seacht ngabh
Fionncha mara
Fionncha glas

Lus na seilge
Raithneach rua
Raithneach Mhuire
Raithneach dharach
Raithneach aolchloiche
Raithneach bhriosc
Ibheag dheilgneach
Ibheag chrua

Ibheag bhog
Raithneach shléibhe
bipennate seeseanr

Raithneach uisce

Clar de Phlandal na hEireann / Census

ae of the Flora of Ireland. (Edn 2). Stationery Office, Dublin

SONNET TO A FERN

Come walk with me into a woodland glade,
Where in moist leafy stillness grows the fern,

Elegant enigma in dappled shad

ith many ancient secrets we must learn.

Un-noticed and ignored by passers-by,
(Bright-hued flowers obsess both men and bees),
Most living things ignore your tracery,
Ferns don’t interact or set out to please,
As if they had that rare facility,
Preserving leaves untouched by mould or worm,
As their seed has, invisibility,
And nothing mars the beauty of their form.

Folk may wonder why - if they only knew,

That in fern’s veins there runs a witches brew!

Alan Ogden

Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998) 37

TREE-FERNS IN CULTIVATION IN VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA
Martin Rickard, Kyre Park, Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire. WR15 8RP

Given the existence of a good number of tree~ferns native to Australia I expected to find many
in cultivation, pluis perhaps a few non-native species grown by specialists, I was not
Jisappointed!

Travelling through (the suburbs of Melbourne tree-ferns were not rare in front gardens.
Dicksonia antarctica was commonest but Cyathea cooperi pushed it close. I say C.cooperi
but out of the window of a moving car, I must admit some plants could have been C.brownii!
Even more embarassing is the difficulty I experienced separating these two species when I had
aad time! It seems there is no real diagnostic character which separates them.I drove Chris

ey mad continually asking him to explain his determinations. In the end he just said
Take an my word for it!’ In truth think I can tell the difference but I don't fancy trying to put it
down on paper - I'll leave that for others!

These suburban gardens were all very well. On the whole the plants looked good, even
though the Melbourne climate is dry, the ferns seem unaffected by drought - attributed to El

ino. more interest are ina pa collections and one specialist in particular - Chris
Goudey who lives at Lara about 40 m of Melbourne. I was very fortunate to stay 5
nights with Chris and his ote Loraine ee had a lot of time to examine Chris's collection - I
won't say ample time because I've come away with an awful lot of questions! His collection
is partly inside his greenhouses (glasshouses or polythene tunnels), and partly ina shady
corner of his garden

In the greenhouses . collection is given excellent cultural conditions, warmth, shade and
humidity. In some s Chris is struggling to accomodate the larger specimens. Cyathea
brownii long since eid the roof of his sified foot high fernery and still thrives like a
sweep’s brush poking six feet above the top! (Fig.1) On the whole, however, the inside ferns
are smaller than the ones in the outdoor fernery. Not surprisingly Chris is not always sure of the
correct name of some of the more obscure species and hybrids, and I was rarely in a position
to help, or even confuse, him!

Figure. 1. Cyathea brownii escaping through the roof of Chris Goudey's fernery
at Lara in Victoria.

38 Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998)

Plants I noted in his collection in the greenhouses are as follows:

yathea
picsivedis - Australian native.
baileyiana - young plant with a well developed ‘wig’.
brevipinnata - Lord Howe Island, can reproduce by stolons.
colensoi - the creeping tree-fern of New Zealand.
contaminans - tropical Malaysia.
cooperi x robusta - — guessed, but looks likely.
er x medullaris - as above
cooperi - cinnamom om Bi attractive, could be a different species.
pig - Australian
o egg “phir Howe Island, fronds fleshy, related to C.robertSiana.
kerma - trunk dark rachis scales erica distinctive.
eichhardiios. We rachis, Australian nativ
lunulata - Malay
macarthuri - ide Howe Island, underside can be glaucous like C.dealbata.
medullaris - New Zealand.
Se Spl 7 Caledonia.
ccae - Queens
ea eae 1 - inches in diameter, yet 6 feet tall! Incredible. (Fig.2)
— - from Phillipines
usta x brownii - another probable hybrid, looks likely to me.
a. aff. spinulosa - not the same as my Nepalese spinulosa
species ex. New Caledonia - small ati
species ex Mt Gahavsuka Papua New Gui
species ex. New Caledonia - large brown ri on glaucous stipe, a beauty.
vieillardii. woolsiana - Australian native.

Dicksoni.
fouidones: looks very like antarctica to m
berteriana - Juan Fernandez Islands, 0 atonodve.
brackenridgei - Fiji.
anata - New Zealand.
jada - hybrid ex. a man UK by tissue culture.
species - ? ex New Caledon
Squarrosa - New Zealand.
Sguarrosa xX antarctica - Likely guess, ocurred in spore sowing.
thyrsopteroides - Juan Fernande?2 Islands.
youngiae -Australian native, purplish scales.

Others:
Cibotium glau
Culcita dubia. Not ined a culcita, needs a new genus.
stramin
Marattia SN
douglassii
axinea
fraxinea ex Zimbabwe
fraxinea var salicina
howeana salicina ex New Zealand
tafeensis - Papua New Guinea
All marattias are very similar, to me, all are attractive with dark green fronds.

Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998) 39

In the outdoor fernery:

This area is shaded by quite a good stand of trees and it is surrounded by a windbreak up to
about 2 metres, but the wind still gets in and the pervading dry atmosphere of the Lara area
is not terribly helpful. Quite a lot of damage has been suffered by the extremities of some of
the larger fronds. Chris has a sprinkler system in this area - as he has throughout most of the
nursery.

Minimum temperature, over several years, is 30°C, this summer the temperature crept
above 40°C - hence the burning of some fronds.

australis subsp. norfolkiensi 5 - Norfolk Island form.
brownii - huge, cooperi look-a-like

capensis - slender trunk, South Africa.

cooperi - Australian native.

cooperi - cinnamom form.

cunninghamii - slender trunked Australian native.
dealbata - New Zealand.

kermadecensis.

leichhardtiana.

arthuri.
marcesens - hybrid between cunninghamii and australis, appearance variable.
medullaris - New Zealan
medullaris x cooperl.
robusta x brow:
robusta - stipe bases sub-glaucous. 2 the most handsome tree-fern hardy in Australia.
smithii - New Zealand.
species aff. brownii ex Papua New Guinea. Stunningly beautiful.
cies aff. spinulosa. species unknown.
tomentosissima. Papua New Guinea.
woolsiana

A total of 35 taxa of Cyathea, plus 1 am sure Chris must have C. dregei and C.albifrons. = 37.

antarctica

fibrosa

herbertiana

sellowiana - not convinced this is the same as my plants.

squarrosa

Others - almost tree-ferns!
Angiopteris species ex Phillipines
ubia

Cibotium di
glaucum
regale
schiedii

Todea barbara
papuana

In all 16 taxa of ‘almost tree-ferns'. Total a collection of 65 tree-ferns etc. An nan
collection. Other local growers have superb collections, for example Les Vulcz who lives in

Otways, 'the home of tree-ferns' (my name!), his collection is wonderful but probably sane
nothing Chris doesn't grow - watch this space fora reply from Les! Les's ferns are largely
grown in his front yard. This is fairly open but he has planted afew windbreaking trees. Even

40 Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998)

Figure. 2. Cyathea
robertsiana in one of
Chris Goudey's fern
houses.

Figure. 3. Cyathea sp.
from Papua New Guinea
in Les vulcz's front yard
(Photo by Les Vulcz)

Fig. 4. Barry White
inspecting Dorothy Forte's
Cyathea robusta for spore.

Fig. 5. Cysthea medullaris
in Dorothy Forte's dahlia
patch!

Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998) 41

se only afew years many plants are magnificent specimens. My favourites would be the

ew Guinean species with affinities to C.brownii - see photographs, the scales are pale
ete (Fig. 3). Les calls this ‘Front yard 1', there is also a ‘Front yard 2' and I may be mistaken
which one is from New Guinea. One or two specimens of Cyathea medullaris are huge after
only, I believe, 7 years - the trunks are about 7 feet tall and a foot in diameter with fronds
perhaps 8 feet long magnificent! Les and his wife Rosemary run a specialist fern nursery like
Chris and Loraine, but Les also salvages tree-ferns from the bush, of which more anon

While I was staying with Chris I saw several other fern collections. All fantastic by our
standards. The lath house at Ripponlea in Melbourne, see Pteridologist, 1988, is wonderful,
with Chris's help I recorded 17 species of tree-fern and almost tree-ferns - including a 6
foot tall trunked C.robertsiana. Also in Melbourne the Potanic Gardens are well worth a
visit, with many outstanding specimens (watch out for the flying foxes!). Chris Goudey, along
with another local PPS member Parry White, also took me to the garden of Dorothy Forte about
80 miles east of Melbourne. Again I don't think she had any tree-ferns additional to Chris's list
but she did have the best C.robusta in any collection - it was sporing (Fig.4)! Dorothy also had
a magnificent 5 or 6 foot tall C. ppp growing out of her remely colourfull dahlia patch,
not a combination I had expected (Fig

In Britain, we don't realise just how aia itis to harvest fresh spore each year. These
C..robusta were introduced into Australia many years ago by Chris when he collected spore
on Lord Howe Island. The spore germinated and plants were widely distributed, but then you
have to wait years before these new plants themselves produce spore. The result is no new
C.robusta came into circulation. The significance of the spore on Dorothy's plant is that now
Chris has a fresh supply of spore and can get more material in the pipeline. Another problem
for the spore collector is the difficulty in reaching the sporing fronds! Chris tells me that it is
not unheard of for spore collectors to use shotguns to remove sporing fronds from the largest
specimens! Certainly during my visit, when I saw many plants of C.cunninghamii I never once
had _ the opportunity to collect spore - I know, I was perpetually on the look out! One grower
has layered a very tall plant of C.cunninzhamii in his garden in_ the hope of fooling it into
sporing close to ground level, I hope he succeeds! Another difficulty with collecting tree-fern
spore is collecting it at the right time of year, I know this is obvious but is it obvious that at
mph one species sheds its spores in spring! This is the New Zealand species Dicksonia lanata.
I examined dozens of plants when in the Waipoua Forest with Barbara Croxall. Barbara warned
me Ty wouldn't find ripe spore and she was right (of course!). The sporing fronds are
produced in autumn but they ripen overwinter. In February, their autumn, I found plenty
of dying fronds covered with shed sporangia as well as young fronds covered with immature
sporangia, but no ripe spore. But I digress, this was New Zealand and not Australia as defined
by the title of this note.

I am sure there are many other excellent collections of tree-ferns elsewhere in Australia
but I think I have seen some of the best in victoria thanks to the kindness of Chris and Loraine
Goudey and Les and Rosemary Vulcz

NOTICE OF NEW FERN BOOK
The Ferns and Allied Plants of New England by Alice F. Tryon and Robbin C. Moran.
Massachusetts Audubon Society 1997. ISBN 0 932691 23 4
S $49.95 + postage from Massachusetts Audubon Society, 208 South Great Road,
Lincoln, MA 01773, USA. E-mail: hprees@massaudubon.org
Arichly illustrated hard-cover reference guide of 325 pages, containing keys, global and
local distribution maps, 86 new photographs and drawings. A special section includes
s.e.m. photographs of spores.

42 Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998)

HARDY NORTH-AMERICAN FERNS IN BRITAIN:
THEN AND NOW

Alastair C. Wardlaw, 92 Drymen Road, Bearsden,Glasgow G61 2SY
R.Graham Ackers, Deersbrook, Horsham Road, Walliswood, Surrey RH5 SRL

In the early summer of 1997 and with the approval of the BPS Committee, we embarked on
Survey of the Hardy North-American Ferns in British Gardens. Readers of the Pteridologist
may recall seeing a flyer about this in the 1997 issue in which we sought information from all
members of the Society who are growing ferns from North America. We are still receiving
responses and expect eventually to have data and a from over 50 British gardens, ranging
from the south of England to the north of Scotland. The main purpose of the Surv ey is
horticultural: to establish, as we approach the snilleaiion, exactly which species and varieties of
North-American ferns actually are being grown in British gardens and how widely; also their
growth requirements, problems in cultivation, and aesthetic merits. For the future it highlights
which other ferns from the United States and Canada might also be candidates for British
gardens. Wi e been very Res in making this Survey, of the pioneering work of Rush
(1984) anes included man American species in A Guide to Hardy Ferns which was the
first of - BPS Special Pubtioad a Series.
There is also an ecological dimension g the factors that ivan the naturalization
of Saar tinac species of plants, since the growing of isis Nort! rican ferns in Britain goes
back 370 years. According to Smith (1877), Cystopteris bulbifera ne Adiantum pedatum were
brought to England in 1628 by John Tradescant the Younger. The former species, Smith
comments, ‘should be in every hardy collection, flourishing without any care and attention, and
rapidly spreading itself both by its bulbils and seeds. It is really a very pretty fern, and one that
paar will be naturalized and found wild throughout England.' Whatever Smith meant by
ntually is evidently some time span greater than 120 years, for C. bulbifera has so far not
fulfilled his 1877 prediction; nor has A. pedatum
er early introductions from North America aie Onoclea sensibilis and Asplenium
rhizophyllum which Smith wrote were known England as early as 1680 and 1699
respectively, and Aspidium (Polystichum) scsi in 1822. At least the first of these has
naturalized in Britain to some extent a e of the six North-American species
mentioned by Page (1982) in a list of the alien ra in nat British flora.
the mid-to-late 19th Century at the height of the Victorian fern craze, various hardy
North-American ferns were being propagated by British nurserymen. But the number of

PS
ada Se ete

Figure. 1: Left to right: Onoclea sensibilis, Phegopt odium palmatum in
H. Stansfield's Catalogue of Hardy Ferns, ca. 1870 (BPS facsimile reprint, on

Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998) 43

different species seems to have been limited. For example, Stansfield's Catalogue No. 9 of
Hardy Ferns from the 1870s (available as an undated facsimile reprint from the BPS) contains
only 13 North-American species among the 517 taxa listed. Most of these 13 are available today
from suppliers oe: in the Royal Horticultural Society's Plantfinder 1997-98, notable
exceptions being Cry, otal gets sccepctietae: and Woodwardia virginica. Fig 1 reproduces
illustrations of hardy Mai an an ferns from the Stansfield catalogue

Moving to the recent past, our ae) emerged from the discussions at eae sed gehen
on Fern Hardiness at Kyre Park in January 1996 and on Foreign Hardy Ferns of
at Warwick in April 1997. We first drew up a Provisional Checklist of Hardy North American
Ferns, since we found that many growers might know that a fern in their collection was foreign
without necessarily being sure of its provenance. The Provisional Checklist was based on the

species described in the authoritative Flora of North America North of Mexico, Vol. 2
Pteridophytes and Gymnosperms (Flora of North America Editorial Committee, 1993). To avoid
excessive length, we carefully selected only about one-third of the total species psa

ailable. For example, we omitted all of the 35 species of North American Botrychium on
scene both of horticultural sean caaiatdl a probable back of gardening appeal. We : also
excluded the sub-tropical and tropical 4 species of North-American
fern that are in the British flora. After these editings we were left with a list of 102 species of
North-American ferns for respondants to browse through, but with the proviso that extra names
could be added as required.

In brief, the Survey has revealed that about 60 species of ferns from the United States and
Canada are currently grown in the gardens of the responding BPS members, generally with few
problems. However about one-half of these 60 species are in 3 or fewer ape Those in 10 or
more gardens are in alphabetical order: Adiantum aleuticum, Adiantum pedatum, Cyrtomium
fortunei, deehiek bulbifera, Dryopteris goldiana, Dryopteris marginalis, Biotic nats
Matteuccia struthiopteris, Osmunda cinnamomea, Polypodium glycyrrhiza, Polypodium
glycyrrhiza 'Longicaudatum', Polypodium scouleri, Polystichum ce Polystichum
andersonii, Polystichum braunii and Polystichum munitum. All of these are currently available
from commercial sources in Britain, some very widely. For ene the RHS Plantfinder 1997-
98 lists 29 suppliers of Adiantum pedatum.

Other sources of North-American ferns are the spore lists of the BPS and of the American
Fern Society which in recent years have included such attractive species (not commercially
available in Britain), as Dennstaedtia punctilobula, Diplazium (Athyrium) pycnocarpon,
Phegopteris hexagonoptera, Polypodium amorphum and Woodwardia virginica. The potential
for introducing hardy North-American ferns into British gardens is thus far from exhausted,
with 40% of the checklisted North-American fern species apparently nowhere cultivated in the
UK; and to these should be added the cultivars, such as the crested varieties, which exist for
some species. Thus there is still much scope for British fernerys to be enriched with attractive
and challenging species from across the Atlantic Ocean. So far only 4 of the North-American
fern species have been given the RHS Award of Garden Merit, but this number should increase
as new species are brought in.

e now have a large amount of data and species ble, and hope to have
a full and illustrated text ready for publication by the end of 1998, either as a BPS Special
Publication or elsewhere. Meanwhile we thank all those who reponded so generously to our
request for information.

REFERENCES

Flora of North America Editorial Committee 1993. Flora of North America North of
Mexico, apa 2, Pteridophytes and Gymnosperms, pp. 475, New York, Oxford
University Pr

Page, C.N. 1982. the - erns of Britain and Ireland, pp. 447, Cambridge, Cambridge
University Press

Rush, R. 1984. A Guide to Hardy Ferns, pp. 70. London, British Pteridological
Society.

Smith, J. 1877. Ferns, British and Foreign, pp.450. London, Bogue.

44 Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998)

Blechnums in New Zealand
Jennifer Ide, 42 Crown Woods Way, Eltham, London SE9 2NN

The Blechnaceae is predominantly a family of the Southern Hemisphere so I shouldn't have
been surprised to find a number of Blechnum species on the many walks I took in the New
ages bush during my seven week trip, in contrast to Europe's one. What did surprise me was
mber of species and how common many of them are. According to panied & Smith-
ok ek (1989), New Zealand has eighteen species of which eleven are endemi ey V
in size and habit with several being quite spectacular pect the keen reciente with
exciting challenges. Of the eighteen species I saw at least
Like our own Blechnum spicant (L.) Roth most tend to pitt damp, shady situations, some
damper and darker than others, whilst some seemed to be able to tolerate full sunlight.
Blechnum colensoi (Hook. f.) Wakef., (Fig. 1) one of the largest species and found only in
New Zealand, is known as the waterfall fern because of its want to grow in dark, damp places,
particularly near waterfalls. On the Mt. Cargill track near Dunedin, a colony of large, quite un-
Maclews: like (to the European observer), dark green, shiny, pendant fronds hung on the steep
anks of a stream tumbling down the mountain side, water dripping off the well-pronounced
drip-tips of its pinnae. The fertile pinnae, however, give the genus away with the long, thin,
straggling pinnae, often longer than those of the sterile fronds, recalling a rather depauperate
ostrich feather boa!
© common, in the darker parts of many damp forests, both lowland and montane, is
ao fluviatile (R. Br.) Salomon, (Fig. 2) where it particularly enjoys the damp habitat
provided by the banks at the side of trackways down which water drains from the slopes above.
This species with its erect rhizome, flattish rosette of leaves and nearly round pinnae is easily
recognised by the presence of very prominent scales on the upper surface of the pinnae,
especially along the midrib, as well as on the stipe and rachis. The fertile fronds are also distinct
arrow, short pinnae which stand almost vertical and parallel to the rachis, the fronds
themselves standing very erect amidst the near prostrate sterile leaves. The Maori utilised a
number of ferns for a variety of purposes and they chewed the leaves of B. fluviatile to alleviate
sore mouths and tongues, whilst a few fronds attached to a post were said to ward off evil spirits
(Crowe, 1994),
Another species also commonly found in damp, manthe situations similar to those enjoyed by
B. colensoi and B. fluviatile, in fact frequently found w em, is Blechnum chambersii
Tindale. (Fig. 3). Like B. fluviatile its fronds are co in rosettes but they are more arched
one its of the latter species. Their pinnae for the upper two thirds of the frond are oblong
tic tendency to curve towards the frond apex, whilst towards the leaf base they
become progressively shorter. The Maori ate this fern after steaming the leaves in their cooking
pits. In Australia where it is also found, it is known to have insecticidal properties (Crowe,
1994).

Blechnums seen in drier and oft ied forests, included B. filiforme (Cunn.)
Ettingsh., B. penna-marina (Poiret) Kuhn, BL. diicolay (Forst. f.) Keys and B. fraseri (Cunn.)
Luerssen. B. filiforme (Fig. 4) is unique amongst the blechnums of New Zealand in two respects:
it has two habit forms, creeping and climbing, and its vegetative fronds exhibit a limited
polymorphism. Initially it creeps across the forest floor, even over fallen branches and rocks,
sometimes for considerable distances, producing tangled masses amongst other ground flora.
The delicate, near linear juvenile fronds, approximately 15 cm in length, have pinnae which are
roundish to oblong, round ended or tapering and markedly toothed. They belie the common
name for the Blechnaceae, the ‘hard ferns’ with its thin leaves. Upon contact with the base of a
suitable host tree the fern begins to climb by its rhizome reaching as high as the base of the
canopy, which can be 30 or more metres high, and frequently forms dense festoons of droo ing
fronds. According to Brownsey and Smith-Dodsworth it is one of the few high climbing ferns
in New Zealand. Once it starts to climb it begins to produce its adult vegetative leaves w
are quite distinct from the juvenile form in size and shape. Usually 30 to nearly 100 cm ee
they are narrowly elliptic to ovate, the narrowly triangular pinnae having tapering apices and

Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998)

Figure 2:-Blechnum Fluviatile in Makarora
Forest, Hwyle, South Island.

Figure 1: Blechnum colensoi in the Fernery,
Pukekura Park, New Plymouth.

Figure 3: Blechnum chambersii on the
Hangi Track near Rautua.

46 Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998)

toothed margins. The fertile fronds are only produced once the fern has reached the upper
regions of the host tree and have long, extremely thin and whispy pinnae, which are probably
responsible for the common name, thread fern.

Blechnum penna-marina is frequently seen in gardens of fern-growing enthusiasts in

ritain, particularly in rockeries or forming borders to beds, its far-creeping rhizome with
closely-produced fronds forming a good low-growing ground-cover plant. It is also desired
because the profuse deep purple-brown, erect fertile fronds provide an attractive colour
combination with the dark-green to bronze green and often near prostrate vegetative leaves. I
several times found B. penna marina growing in open, damp areas of kanuka (Leptospernu
ericoides) scrub and at the edges of forests, and frequently seeming to prefer th 1 conditions
provided by high altitude, such as at the Dobson Memorial Track near Arthur's Pass Village (Fig.
6). These apparent habitat preferences surprised me in view of the kinds of situations in which
I have seen it growing in British gardens, so I was reassured when I also found it growing ina
sun-facing wall in Fox Glacier village.

It is an unforgettable sight to see a forest floor dominated by Blechnum discolor with its
handsome, near perfect shuttlecock, especially in the spring when the bright green new fronds
form an inner shuttlecock inside the darker green, leathery fronds of the previous season. The
fronds can be up to 120 cm in length and 16 cm wide. Evolutionists tell us that the Blechnaceae
is a family currently evolving a tree habit and certainly the tendency to develop a trunk can be
seen in older specimens in this species. They spread by stolons from these trunks to form
extensive, almost ground cover populations in some forests. Of the Blechnum species that I saw
in New Zealand B. discolor certainly had the most elegant and interesting fertile fronds. The
upper pinnae are fertile for all their length, but descending the frond the basal portion of each
pinna becomes increasingly sterile and laminate, with a corresponding reduction in the portion
that is fertile, so that the lowermost pinnae can be fully sterile. They develop in the centre of the
crown after the vegetative fronds; slightly taller, stiff, linear and nearly erect they, themselves,
are arranged in a near shuttle cock. It is difficult to describe, but the result is a most elegant
frond, bright green initially but with the fertile portions turning reddish brown as the spores
mature. Maori warriors would use the fronds of this wide-spread and common fern by breaking
off and turning them upwards to reveal their contrasting grey-green undersides in order to mark
a trail for a war party (Riley, 1983). Reported apparently hardy in Norway (Rush, 1984) it would
be interesting to know if anyone has subsequently found it to be so in Britain: it would be a most
attractive specimen plant in a garden. Brownsey & Smith-Dodsworth (1989) recommend a rich,
light soil under light to medium shade.

Of course, the Blechnum species most well known in the New Zealand flora because it has
already evolved an, albeit miniature, tree fern habit, is Blechnum fraseri. Although I only saw
two of these plants in the Kauri forest of Wiapoua in the north east of the North Island, they are
locally common in both the North and South Islands. It is an intriguing plant and not at all
Blechnum-like for its leaves are bipinnate rather than pinnate, and its fertile fronds are similar
to the sterile ones with only slightly thinner secondary pinnae; indeed some workers are of the
opinion that this plant does not belong in the genus Blechnum because of these atypical features
(Brownsey and Smith Dodsworth, 1989). A characteristic which makes identification easy in
cases of doubt is the jagged wing of the rachis found in both types of frond.

0 of th t ubiqui d t sf ferns in New Zealand, at both low and high
altitudes, are those curiously named (or rather unnamed!) Blechnum sp. | (kiokio) and
Blechnum sp. 2 (mountain kiokio)! Wherever there is freshly opened ground, open to the sun or
lightly shaded, preferably on a bank at the side of a road or ina forest, dry or damp, these species
readily establish themselves and form a dense cover of large, elegantly pendant fronds which,
in kiokio, can reach a length of 320 cm in some conditions. In the spring, in more exposed
situations these colonies are ablaze with the pink through to red to reddish brown colour of the
new fronds amongst the bright green of those of the previous year. Especially in the montane
areas of the west coast of the Southern Island where the mountain kiokio often predominates,
the colour was at its richest. The crisping of the pinna margins was also at its greatest and most
attractive in such conditions. Imagine a roadside bank several miles long dressed with such

Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998) 47

fronds from the ground to a height of three to four feet! These two ferns hybridise readily where
they meet and in such situations it was not unusual to find fronds where one half of the leaf (or
close to it) had fertile pinnae and the other side, sterile pinnae. Whether or not this is a result of
the hybridisation process I do not know. The common name, palm leaf fern, conjures up well
the appearance of the leaves of these ferns; which species can be identified with certainty only
by looking at the base of the fronds.

At first glance the fronds of B. vulcanicum (Blume
Kuhn, (Fig. 5) with their hanging habit and penchant for
banks on bush margins and roadside cuttings, could be
mistaken by the uninitiated for young or small Blechnum
sp. 2. However, a closer look reveals that the tips of the
fronds do not have a distinct terminal pinna, and a closer
look still reveals the tell-tale, unique lowermost pair of
dorsally projecting, oo, sickle shaped pinnae of both
sterile and fertile fron ike the kiokios, the new fronds
can develop a reddish oie in conditions or bright light. In
all three species the colour is due to flavonoid pigments

which help protect the fronds from the damaging energy of
excessive light. B. vulcanicum is an attractive fern and on
the river bank at Thunder Creek falls off Highway 6, the
Makarora to Haast Road in the South Island, it was happily
enduring water trickling over its fron

Finally, in a different habitat toe: a cluster of
bright green fronds, crouching under an outcropping rock
and rather tough looking and slightly succulent to the feel,
attracted my attention as we walked along the cliff path at
Cape Foulwind, on the northern west coast of the South

Figure 5: Blechum vulcanicum with
Lycopodium volub near Lake
toiti, Nelson obi oiaiiai South
Island. Island, to see the nee colony of fur seals.
siderably shorter fertile fronds just i amongst he
Further

sterile fronds confirmed that it was a. banksii (Hook.f.) Diels.
at the famous pancake rocks of Punakaiki we saw large colonies of this fern, Shans and
intermingled with the duller green and even more succulent leaves of Asplenium vbtusatum
subsp. obtusatum. Both these species appear to prefer rocky, cliff-like habitats close to the sea,
even within the reach of sea spray. Do they find less competition here or are they refugees from
salt-intolerant herbivores?

If at all possible New Zealand is a must for any field fern enthusiast. Only rarely in cic
do we see such profusions of ferns as one can see in New Zealand where it is not only
monospecific stands but also multispecific communities - oes which can locally ca the
herbaceous floras of forests and scrublands. One only has to t f the many recommended
walks, a short one will suffice, in the multiplicity of national parks and scenic reserves of New
Zealand to enjoy such sights. You do not have to be a fit long-distance walker nor a mountain
goat; wherever you are, a brief excursion will show you much - and blechnums are almost
certain to be there!

REFERENCES
Brownsey, PJ. & J.C. Smith-Dodsworth. 1989. New Zealand Ferns and Allied Plants. David
Bateman Ltd, NZ.
Crowe, A. 1994. Which Native Fern. Viking/Penguin Books (NZ) Ltd.
Riley, M. 1983. New Zealand Trees and Ferns. Viking Sevenseas Ltd., NZ.
Rush, R. 1984. A Guide to Hardy Ferns. The British Pteridological Society, London.

48 Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998)

Figure 7: Blechnum discolor in the forest
near Milford Sound.

Figure 6: Blechnum penna-marina on the
Dobenn Memorial Track,

Figure 9: Blechnum sp. 2 (Mountain Kokio)
Figure 8: Blechnum fraseri in Waipona near Fountain Falls, Makarova Forest,
forest, Northland South Island

Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998) 49

POLYSTICHUM X DYCEI: ANEW ORNAMENTAL FERN HYBRID
FOR THE GARDEN

ANNE SLEEP*
Department of Plant Sciences, The University, Leeds, LS2 9JT.

INTRODUCTION

For the past forty years, following the publication of Manton’s now classic work Problems of
Cytology and Evolution in the Pteridophyta (1950), the evolution of various polyploid species-
complexes in both temperate and tropical sie mae a naa been studied by means of the analysis
of the pairing behaviour of the chromosomes n both naturally occurring and
experimentally produced hybrids. The A ide deliberiacly synthesized for this purpose
were made in the genus Dryopteris (see Manton 1950, pp. 48-49). iy ect similar hybrids
made in other genera, and the synthesis of hybrids of known origin soon became a firmly
ease eis in the study of fern cytogenetics at Leeds (for example, see Walker 1955, Shivas
961, W: 58). The techniques for the production of artificial fern hybrids have already
been Pita in detail by Lovis (1968).
of the early work on fern hybridization efforts were concentrated on producing
synthetic hybrids between a particular tetraploid species under investigation and the diploid
species suspected on morphological grounds of being involved in its ancestry. One of the
earliest hybrids of this type was a cross between Polystichum aculeatum (L.) Roth from northern
Italy and P. setiferum (Forsk.) Woynar from Dartmouth, Devon made by Professor Manton in
the mid-1940s (Manton 1950, p. 154). Such hybrids proved easy to produce and gave the now
well established pattern of ‘n’ bivalent and ‘n’ univalent chromosomes at meiosis. It was only
subsequently that efforts were directed to the possible synthesis of ‘wide hybrids’, i.e. hybrids
pin unrelated or distantly lagen species, in order to prove whether a given tetraploid was
allopolyploid. The first ‘wide hybrid’ to be produced at Leeds was a cross between
eo slits is iid ‘Milde 7c. on (an allotetraploid species arising from Ceterach dplouagasy
DC. subsp. bivalens D.E. esa and Hedeor sagittata (DC.) Guinea & Heywood) and
Asplenium macedonicum erle (Emmott 1964). Since fag many Sailer if less
per eagne hybrids sae su in at sane particularly in the genus Asplenium. Many
m have been of very attractive appearance (for example, Asplenium onopteris x A.
majoricum (Sleep 1967), Pleurosorus hispanicus x A. petrarchae subsp. bivalens (Lovis 1973),
A. kobayashii x A. adiantum-nigrum (Sleep 1980, 1983), A. ahs x A. billotii (Sleep 1983)
but such hybrids, since they are sterile and produce only abortive spores, cannot be reproduced
and although of considerable academic interest, are of no horticultural value.
Polystichum is a genus which produces hybrids easily, both under laboratory conditions and
in the wild. For example, all the six searccllly possible hybrids between the four European
species of Polystichum are known in nature. These are:

P. lonchitis x P. setiferum = *P. x lonchitiforme (Halacsy) Becherer
P. lonchitis x P. aculeatum = *P. x illyricum (Borbas) Hahne

P. lonchitis x P. braunii a P. x meyeri Sleep & Reichstein

P. setiferum x P. aculeatum) = *P. x bicknellii (Christ) Hahne

P. setiferum x P. braunii = P. x wirtgeni Hahne

P. aculeatum x P. braunii = P. x luerssenii (Dorfler) Hahne

The three hybrids marked by an asterisk are all known to occur in the British Isles.

Over twenty naturally occurring Polystichum hybrids have already been recorded from the
Japanese Flora (Nakaike 1975) and wild hybrids can similarly be expected to occur elsewhere.
Under laboratory conditions there seem also to be few barriers to hybridization in Polystichum.
In my experience it has been very easy to produce even the strangest crosses, combining species

‘Anne Sleep died on 22nd June, 1993 (Obituary: a 4(4), 176-177, 1993)
¢ paper was prepared for publication by Mary Gib

50 Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998)

from different continents and successfully incorporating taxa from different sections of the
genus. Again, because of their sterility, these hybrids are of limited horticultural interest.
Although well-established hybrid plants d Ps prod y
separated by division. The wide hybrids in particular are necessarily limited in number and,
despite their attractiveness, are not generally available for distribution to the fern grower.
However, some species of Polystichum, for example, P. proliferum (R.Br.) Presl, P.
)

+ oe }
crowns which May de

andersonii Hopkins, P. craspedosorum (Maxim.) Diels, are known to reproduce vegetatively by
means of proliferous buds borne at or near the frond tips. A hybrid with this character would
be, irrespective of its abortive spores, immediately capable of reproducing itself. Some years
ago, as part of a hybridization programme involving different Polystichum species from Europe,
North America and Australia, I raised two series of hybrids, each incorporating as one parent a
species which reproduces by means of proliferous buds. This character was found to persist in
the resultant hybrids, which are easy to propagate and therefore of particular interest to fern

wers.
Seven different hybrid combinations reproducing by such buds have been synthesized, four
of them incorporating an Australian species, P. proliferum, a taxon of ornamental value itself.

Synthesized hybrids involving P. proliferum

P. proliferum Q- x P. braunii 6 4x
Australia Europe

Paculeatum Q x P. proliferum 3 4x
Europe Australia

P. proliferum Q- x P. setiferum @ 3x
Australia Europe

P proliferum Q- x P. acrostichoides 3 3x
Australia U.S.A.

P. proliferum (R.Br.) Presl
Polystichum proliferum resembles our native P. setiferum. The fronds are very dark green and
bear, on the lower surface of the lamina just below the frond tips, several small, scaly,
proliferous buds. Pot-grown fronds are 60cm or more in length, fully bipinnate and with a long
up to 20cm) stipe. This bears many very long, narrow, dark-coloured scales at its base, while
fine, chestnut-coloured scales clothe the upper part of the stipe as well as the rachis. The frond
has long basal pinnae which are themselves pinnate (as in P setiferum), and is lax and open in
pearance with space between the insertion of both pinnae and pinnules. The pinnae are long
and spreading and bear 9-12 pairs of discrete, narrow, very shortly stalked aculeatum-like
pinnules which are sharply pointed at the tip. The proximal acroscopic and basiscopic pinnules
are approximately equal in size and each is cut proximally to form a single obovate segment
which stands away from the rest of the pinnule like a thumb. Sori are median in position. The
indusia are orbicular with a central group of thi d cells and bearing on th gi
club-shaped glands. Polystichum proliferum occurs from south-eastern Queensland through the
coastal areas and table-land of New South Wales to Victoria and Tasmania. It grows in a variety
of habitats: wet or dry sclerophyll ( Eucalyptus) forest, on hillsides or in subtropical or temperate
rain forest. It is particularly common in Tasmania, where it forms a dominant part of the fern

The hybrid P. proliferum x P. braunii

In the summer of 1963 three hybrids (AS/629(i) and (ii) and AS/675) were made at Leeds
between P. proliferum from Wentworth Falls, in the Blue Mountains, New South Wales,
Australia and P. braunii from the Val d’Antabbia, Canton Ticino, Switzerland. Polystichum

Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998)

| niin

BA

Poiyst

>

4

)

lie eS ee

Figure 1. Holotype of Polystichum x dycei Sleep, hybr. nov. AS/629(ii).

HERB. MUS. BRIT.

pyr

#OLO TYPE SPECIMEN Hermarmon Vioset Biricamnay
tchom x dyes

sleep

No 40v80, orignvally

u ected by T Rew fisten
Holengus: Col. Anne Sheep AS
Date: 3 Septemiver 1965

iserypex: BEKZ

52 Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998)

proliferum was used as the female parent. Two of these hybrids grew outside in a sunny, open
position at the University of Leeds Botany Department’s Experimental Garden for many years

were raised from such buds. One of the three original hybrids still survives in Zurich Botanic
Garden, together with its progeny. The hybrid is a distinctive fern, which combines features of
both its parents. Polystichum prolife has been described ab The other parent, P. braunii,
also not native to Britain, is a common woodland fern in central and eastern Europe. It shows
a disrupted circum-polar distribution in the boreal regions of the northern hemisphere. where it
occupies three major areas: eastern Asia, Europe and eastern North America. It also occurs
sporadically in the coastal areas of north-western America. Polystichum braunii is completely
hardy in the British Isles and is a handsome species for either a cold greenhouse or outdoor
cultivation. It is bright- or yellowish-green in colour, smaller than the hybrid (fronds 60-100cm
when grown outside) and of soft, lax appearance. The frond narrows markedly towards the base,
the basal pinnae being small and pinnate. The scales are pale brown, mostly broad and papery
at the base of the stipe, filiform elsewhere. Both upper and lower surfaces of the lamina bear
fine, soft hairs. The frond is bipinnate and the regular pinnules are squarish in shape, only
scarcely auricled, and with a smooth or slightly serrate margin.

e hybrid combines the dissection and proliferous buds of P proliferum with the colour,
frond shape and scaliness of the P. braunii parent. The conspicuous, glossy, dark-brown scales
on the croziers and at the base of the stipe are a characteristic feature of the hybrid, the dark
colour coming from the P. proliferum parent and the shape from P. braunii. Higher up the stipe
the scales become narrower, with a dark central stripe and pale brown edges, while on the rachis
and mid-ribs they are pale brown and filiform.

Polystichum x dycei Sleep, hybr. nov. = P. proliferum (R.Br.) Presl x P. braunii (Spenner) Fée
Hybrida hortensis e Polysticho prolifero Australiae et P. braunii Helvetiae arte fi
Planta va i i

Holotypus: AS/629(ii), 30 September 1965. Synthetic hybrid crossed 27 June 1962 and
raised at the University of Leeds from:

QP. proliferum, Wentworth Falls, Blue Mountains, N.S.W., Australia. No. P.845]. Leg. P.
Messmer, 16.12. , an

OP. braunii, Val d’ Antabbia, north-west of Locarno, Canton Ticino, Switzerland, stock plant
at Leeds, No. 40/60, originally collected by T. Reichstein (Figure 1).

Holotype BM, isotypes B, E, K, Z.

Progeny raised from buds from AS/629ii (TYPUS) are now in cultivation at Leeds. Two
further hybrids were raised; AS/629i was sent to Ziirich, under number TR 1752 and AS/675.
Both originated from the same parental stocks. Progeny of these latter two (derived from the
proliferating buds), are in cultivation at Chelsea Physic Garden, London and Royal Botanic
Gardens, Kew. Further progeny (but of unknown number) are at Kyre Park.

It is my pleasure to name this hybrid after J. W. Dyce, in acknowledgement of his keen
interest in the genus Polystichum and his study of its many varieties.

Polystichum x dycei: The synthesized fern hybrid combines attributes from both its parents,
P. proliferum and P. braunii. Rhizome erect, with fronds arising in the form of a shuttlecock.
Young croziers covered in glossy, dark-brown scales. Mature fronds bright-green in colour, long
and narrow, up to 60cm in length when pot-grown but attaining 100cm or more when cultivated
outside, and characteristically bearing 1 to 3 scaly bulbils on the abaxial (lower) surface of the
lamina just below the frond tip. Stipes 15cm or more in length, very scaly. A distinctive feature
is the presence, at the base of the stipe, of long (up to 2.5cm), glossy, dark chestnut-brown

Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998) 53

subulate scales. Some of these scales eid a ane rik nares —. etter up the ape, ss
deep brown centre gradually |
brown. Blade bipinnate, narrowing slightly to the base, with the basal aoe fully pinnate a: as in
EF. acon and P. setiferum. Pinnae long and narrow with pointed tips, those towards

upper part of the frond equalling the middle pinnae in length, and giving the frond a rather * th
heavy’ appearance. Each pinna is cut to the mid-rib to form 10-14 pairs of shortly-stalked, nae
aristate, discrete pinnules, each bearing a small auricle on the proximal acroscopic side. At

base of each pinna the proximal pair of pinnules are approximately equal in size, with en
deeply cut proximally to form, on the upper side, a discrete segment which stands away from

So
5-8 per pinnule, median in position, with a brown, orbicular indusium. Spores abortive.
Chromosome number 2n = 164. Tetraploid. Meiosis irregular.

cae rt ] t Pp Paar lant kh Pee eas
Uarde

bog o i o =
larger in size and with a more deeply cut frond which becomes tripinnatisect.

Footnote
Of a pair of pinnules, those
oximal: nearest to the axis
istal: remote from the placa of attachment.
Acroscopic: facing, or directed towards, the apex (of a frond).
Basiscopic: facing away from the apex, i.e. towards the base (of a frond).
Propagation from buds

Propagation from buds can take from several months to more than a year, and young
plantlets will take from two to three years to become mature garden specimens. The method of
igi 5 described here can be adapted to any bulbil-forming fern. Bud-bearing frond tips

ved from the mature plant with a pair of scissors, and the surrounding pinnae and

vais are carefully trimmed off so that a single bud (or bulbil) is left sitting on about lcm
stripped rachis on either side. Attached pieces of pinna are undesirable, as they are likely to rot
and cause fungal contamination. The buds (two or three to a pot) are carefully spaced out on
the surface of the moist compost and are anchored in position by means of two half paper-clips,
one over the rachis on each side of the bud. To make the anchoring pins, single paper-clips are
cut in half to make two U-shaped pins; thin but pliable plastic-covered wire is also suitable. It
is important to ensure that there is good contact between the buds and the surface of the
compost. Buds are planted as above in 3 inch clay pots that have been previously steam-
sterilized. Sterilization can be achieved in various ways: by using a pressure cooker, by boiling
the pots in a bucket of water over a gas ring, or by standing the pots on a perforated plate inside
an electrically heated steamer or tea-urn. The compost used is a freshly made, ine: mixture of

arts peat: 1 part lime-free loam: | part silver sand which is passed through a ®” riddle and
thoroughly steam-sterilized. No fertilizer is necessary at this stage. Each pot is well crocked,
half-filled with gravel or coarse ate and t nopet up with the eden = which is pressed
down gently using a flat-t g marginally smaller thar
The top-most layer is passed through a particularly fine riddle ck en et ate as above.
The pots may be sprayed with orthocide Captan, prepared according to the maker’s
recommendations which can help to prevent fungal contamination. The pots are covered with
clock-glasses and left to stand for at least 24 hours before use. Buds should not be planted on
to a dry medium and it is therefore important that the prepared pots be soaked overnight so that
the compost is moist (but not wet). This is achieved by standing the pots in a tray containing
about 1” of water. After planting the bulbils, each pot is covered by a clock-glass, placed convex
side up so that any condensation runs to the edge of the glass and drips harmlessly off the rim
of the pot, and stood in a covered frame to maintain a humid atmosphere. To encourage
sprouting of the buds, the pots may first be put in a warm frame, where this facility exists, which
is kept at a temperature of 70-75°F. Once young leaves start to develop from the buds, the pots
are transferred to a frame in a cooler house; these are heated during the winter months to

54 Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998)

maintain a temperature of 50°F. When individual pots become dry, they can be watered from
below by standing them in a tray of water until the compost is moist throughout. Covered clay
(but not plastic) pots can alternatively be plunged inside a frame in a bed of moist peat or sand,
a method which prevents rapid drying out of the compost in the pot and obviates the need for
frequent watering. e frame can be kept warm by means of a Humex soil heating cable.
Warmth will certainly speed up the sprouting process, but success can nevertheless be achieved
without complicated or expensive facilities: for example, the covered pots can equally well be
plunged to the rim in moist peat in a deep wooden or polystyrene box, which is then covered b
a sheet of glass and put in a warm place. The plunging medium should be thoroughly moistened
from time to time. As the young plantlets grow, they can gradually be hardened off by the
raising of the clock-glass, which can be propped up in stages by the use of plastic labels or sticks
of varying lengths until it can be removed altogether.

As soon as the small plantlets are well-established, with a rooting system as well as young
fronds (the latter will develop first) they can be potted up individually into 2 or 21/2” pots. For
these young plants, a slightly different compost is prepared using 2 parts peat: | part lime-free
loam: | part coarse sand. Bone meal is added in the proportion of one 3” pot-per-bushel (= 4
gallons) of compost, and ‘Aldrin’ is added to counteract soil pests. The whole is thoroughly
mixed before being steam-sterilized. After a thorough soaking the newly potted ferns can either
be stood in a warm frame and watered regularly from below or plunged in moistened peat in a
frame or box, but in either case they should be transferred to a relatively cool place (maximum
winter temperature 45-50°F) as soon as the plants have become established. The young ferns
will grow rapidly and will probably require potting on several times before they are ready for
transfer to the garden. Potting of young plants can be carried out throughout the spring and
summer but, if young ferns have not been potted on before September, it is advisable to delay
potting (or re-potting) until the following spring. It should be noted that although heat can be
used both to initiate bud develo tand top t t growth in freshly potted young plants,
older ferns require a dormant period in winter and do better if kept in an unheated house.

Cultivation of adult plants

For the adult plant an open, sunny situation with dappled shade would probably suit it well.
Its parents are both woodland ferns, and so the hybrid would benefit from a mulch of peat,
compost or rotted leaves, which, besides conserving soil moisture and retaining warmth in
winter, will serve to keep down weeds.

One can often obtain useful information regarding the cultural conditions to give a wild
plant by studying the ecology of the plant in its natural environment. Similarly, a knowledge of
the habitats and distribution of the parents of a hybrid can be a useful guide to its probable
degree of hardiness and cultural requirements. The ecological requirements of P. braunii in
Europe seem to be shade, humidity and a soil rich in humus. It is very often found close to a
stream or river in montane (generally mixed) forests on siliceous soils, most often over granite
or gneiss, and it may also occur on acid soils in limestone districts. Its altitudinal range varies
from 450m to 2000m. Although normally a forest species, it can also be found, as in the
Floitental, Austria in open, rocky habitats, and this may well be a secondary condition resulting

om the clearance of forest. In such places the adult plants are fully exposed to the sun,
although shelter and humidity are afforded to the young fronds by the boulders amongst which
they are invariably found. In such habitats P. braunii is again found close to water, a fact that
Suggests it would form an attractive subject for cultivation in a fern garden incorporating a
stream or water-fall.
P. proliferum occurs in Eucalyptus forests from south-eastern Queensland to
Tasmania it appears to reach its best development in the cool, shaded forest of mountainous
areas. It ascends into subalpine woodland and at high altitudes just below the snow-line small
plants occur in rock crevices or in the grass amongst the snow gums. Since this fern extends to
relatively high altitudes, i.e. over 2000ft (600m) and up to 6000ft (c.1800m), one would expect
it to be completely hardy in the British Isles. In fact experience at Leeds has led to a different

Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998) 55

conclusion. Although P. proliferum grows well in a cold greenhouse in Leeds, it has not
survived the rigours of the Yorkshire winter when planted outside. Similarly, some hybrids
incorporating it (e.g. the synthetic hybrid with P. setiferum) are not hardy outside in Leeds,
although they survive the winter outside in Basel, Switzerland. It may be not the cold. but the

is certainly more hardy in Leeds than its Australian parent, and is a good subject for outdoor
cultivation. In a suitable place it will soon grow into a splendidly handsome plant, and indeed,
because of its habit of forming proliferous buds, will eventually produce, even without any help,
its own small family around it! Not two, but twenty-two for the price of one might be an apt
description.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I am most grateful to Mr P. Lee’ for the care and attention he has devoted to my ferns over the
past twenty years. I also wish to thank Mr L. Child for the silhouettes and Miss J. Camus, A.
Henderson and I. S$. Moxon for assistance in various ways. I am indebted to Professor W. T.
Stearn for his help with the Latin diagnosis

REFERENCES

Emmott, J.I. 1964. A cytogenetic investigation in the Phyllitis-Asplenium complex. New
Lovis, J.D. Jog Fern pe and fern hybridising. II. Fern hybridising at the University of
Toor hie Gaz. 10(1):

Lovis, J. D. “1973. tic problems and its application to the
Aiiadiosia In “JERMY, AC. CRABBE, “ff A. and THOMAS, B.A. (Eds.) Th
phylogeny and classification of the a Suppl. 1 to Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 67: 211- 228.
Academic Press. London & New

pears i oped Problems of cytology sa evolution in the Pteridophyta. University Press.

Nakai. a en Enumeratio Pteridophytarum Japonicarum. University of Tokyo Press.

Shivas, i mt 1961 Contributions to the cytology and aye of species of Polypodium in
Europe and America. I. Cytology. J. Linn. Soc. (Bot.) 5 os

Sleep, A. 1967. A contribution to the cytotaxonomy of pebere majoricum. Br, Fern Gaz.
9(8): 21-329.

Sleep, A. 1980. On the reported occurrence of Asplenium cuneifolium and A. adiantum-nigrum
in the British Isles. ‘Pon Gaz. 12(2): 103-107.

Sleep, A. 1983. On the genus Asplenium in the Iberian peninsula. Acta Bot. Malacit. 8: 11-46.

Walker, S. 1955 Cytogenetic studies in the Drypoteris spinulosa complex. I. Watsonia 3: 193-
209

Walker, T.G. 1958 Hybridization in some species of Pteris L. Evolution 12: 82-92.

Peter Lee died in late autumn 1993. He cared for the fern collections of all Professor Manton's
students and colleagues during his long career at the University Botanic gardens in Leeds [Mary
Gibby].

56 Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998)

Notes on Fern Books of E. J. Lowe
Martin Rickard, Kyre Park, Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire, WR15 8RP.

After the death of Jimmy Dyce in December 1996 a large box of letters was discovered amongst
his fern memorabilia. Of particular interest was a file of 30 letters sent by Edward Joseph Lowe
to the first Secretary of our Society, George Whitwell. Lowe was one of the great Victorian
authors writing several books of high quality when the fern craze was at its peak (see Hall,198).
In these letters there is information on two books of particular interest. The first is British Ferns
published in 1890 and the second a book which never seems to have been published.

BRITISH FERNS by E J LOWE

Four of the letters pass interesting comments on Lowe's classic work British Ferns. This book
contains the most comprehensive list of fern cultivars ever put into any single volume. Being
such a detailed work it was rather inappropriately published in the "Young Collector" series.
Given its importance even to today's fern growers I hope these comments will be of interest.

In a letter of February 2nd 1890 Lowe announced his intention to write the book:

"I am writing a handbook of the varieties of British Ferns for a London firm to be printed before
the Fern Conference of the RHS and Gt. Fern Show of July 22 & 23 [1890, MHR]. At that show
I am asked to read a paper on the varieties of British Ferns and also to exhibit a collection of the
most distinct varieties. I have now charge of the late Col. Jones' ferns and shall take a van load
of ferns from here and from Colonel Jones' Clifton collection.... Unfortunately I am only given
to March 31st to write the book (which will be 128 pages)."
The final book actually ran to 168 pages. Assuming he made the publisher's deadline this is
proof that the work was really completed in around 6 weeks as Lowe claims in the Preface
On March 4th 1890: "I have received the interesting work Ferns of the English lake Country. 1
want you to add what is new since that was published as Mr Barnes is too ill to help. I shall call
attention to this work on Lake Ferns in my Handbook."
He did mention it on page 6, but unfortunately the letter received by Whitwell on November
15th 1892 revealed:
"Iam very sorry for the omission of your name from deserved thanks. Unfortunately my sheet
of thanks was lost in the post and I had to write what I thought was a duplicate by return and in
the hurry I omitted to copy what I had said about you and another of my fern friends. A very
severe illness and recurring illnesses caused these unfortunate omissions. They are added to my
preface of the second edition which will soon appear. I am much vexed about this omission.”
Unfortunately there was no second edition as such, there was a reprint in 1891 which had a page
of errata and a corrigenda strip - but no acknowledgement of Whitwell. Nevertheless Lowe’s
correspondence continued for at least 5 more years and ferns were freely exchanged between
e two men in what seems to have been a warm relationship. There was a second reprint in
1908.
Finally on the subject of this book Lowe wrote on November 25th 1892:

"... [have had a note from one of the members of your Society saying he hopes I shall return to
the old nomenclature, thinking it was mine. The nomenclature and classification of my Hand
Book is by your President (Dr Stansfield) after the papers at the Fern Conference of RHSoc.
Colonel Jones and Mr Fox had agreed to it and only Wollaston objected. A book would not be
acknowledged that had not the nomenclature of Hooker and Baker but we removed all confusion
by heading each on the page section Athyrium, section Polystichum etc. The division into
groups, divisions, sections of Athyrium, Polystich d Scolopendrium is entirely Stansfield's.
I could not improve it, so adopted it. The only thing I did not adopt was using english names for
new varieties. Fox and Jones had begun it and named three of their athyriums ~Nellie', "Helena"
and "Evelyn". How can we cross at once 4 or varieties, the complication must soon be very great
and descriptive names useless. Old well known names I hope will not be altered but botanists

Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998) 57

say latin names belong to species and not to varieties. All latin names have been pemneved for
Narcissi and from what Stansfield said I think he would follow into English names."

In the published book Lowe begins his preface:

"The author of this Handbook is anxious to acknowledge the great help that he has received
from his numerous fern friends. More especially are these thanks due to Dr F.W.Stansfield of
Sale, without whose valuable assistance and suggestions ogee de as regards classification) it
would have been impossible to have written this work in six wee

While this preface does not make it clear that Dr Stansfield was entirely responsible for Lowe's
classification, the evidence of the letters is unequivocal. Subsequent authors were either
ignorant of this or overlooked it. For example Jimmy Dyce in The British Fern gazette (1963)
said he was:

"still using E.J.Lowe's classification..."

and Reginald Kaye in Hardy Ferns (1968) says:

"Lowe made a very detailed classification of the varieties of his day...."

It is most likely that at the time of writing neither Jimmy Dyce nor Reginald Kaye knew the
true author of the system, as Percy Greenfield, from whom Jimmy had inherited these letters,
did not die until 1970. ;

The comments on the use of latin names are still relevant today. The International Code for the
Nomenclature of Cultivated Plants forbids the use of latin in cultivars named since 1979, much
to the displeasure of Jimmy Dyce - and many of today s fern growers.

AN UNPUBLISHED FERN BOOK by E. J. LOWE
Looking through the old letters from E.J.Lowe to our Society s first secretary, George Whitwell,
I was surprised to discover that in 1893 Lowe was planning to publish a fern book in several
volumes. One that I had never heard of despite collecting fern books for many years. Lowe did
publish a single volume called Fern Growing in 1895 but no other fern book after British Ferns
in 1890. Reading the letters more information emerged.
1892 Nov 2nd: "Dr Stansfield has pointed out to me that your new society on ferns could help
e with my new book of 4 vols on the vars of British ferns. I should be much obliged for fronds
and illustrations, the fronds should be packed in damp moss as I am having them photographed
to show all the undulations and irregularities which you cannot get from pressed fronds."
Lowe had obviously not joined our fledgling Society at this time but the proposed book already
sounds like a mouth watering work. The photographs were taken by his son (see below, 1893
Sep 18th).
1892 Nov 15th: "Dr Stansfield said that I ought to get information of the findings of all the Lake
District discoveries and he sent me the address of. seven fern hunters. As yet yours is the only
letter I have received. " would be . pity to omit an account of new discoveries from your district
in a large work of 4 vols extensively illustrated, as it may be 20 years before another large work
is published. If you will kindly hick I may be able to obtain fronds of some of your finds from
others. The first volume will contain Adiantum, ivieoiin: ~ saa eaten as there i is to be an
alphabetical arrangement. The sy iniaasesii only gi gi p ork but
I should like to deposit one o your district for reference for all of you. Have
you a library with your fern society if so what would be a proper disposition of the work. I am
writing the work for nothing so you will see I have no gain "Our Native Ferns" being all sold,
a second edition was required carrying the work to the present date, and this will add more than
00 good varieties and the illustrations from these will be natural photographs showing all the
undulations ‘etc. "
Over 100 years later the Society still has no library!
1892 Nov 25th: ".......I think the species? being described alphabetically and then the scols,
athyriums and polystichums would be in separate volumes."

58 Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998)

By 1893 Lowe was obviously intensively researching the work, unlike his handbook of 1890

this was not going to be written in 6 weeks. A printed form of his letter paper first appeared in

this series of letters on: (photocopy of page)

1893 Jun 19: New Fern Book in 4 volumes. "Vol. 1 not yet out."

Caption for Fig.1 - Printed writing paper advertising forthcoming fern book.

Like most letters, this one was a request for fronds but footnote gives some indication that

perhaps Lowe was frustrated at the non-appearance of volume 1:

1893 Aug 25: "Can I borrow the third edition of the English Lake Country from someone for 2

or 3 days.... I am giving a portrait of Mr Barnes. P.S. Should like to know at once about

aspleniums as they are in type for Ist volume."

Clearly the first volume was not quite ready.

1893 Aug 29th: "Many thanks for the fronds they arrived safely and 17 of them were

photographed today. Do you know anyone who would like to change ferns I have a grand

collection and only give the duplicates away.... You will see an account in Vol 1, I shall send the

vols. as they appear to you for your society. You will like the illustrations from photographs..."

He writes about volume | with great certainty. The next letter for the first time indicates that the

work will be increased from four to six volumes

1893 Sep Ist: "New British Fern Book in 6 (printed page 4 altered in hand to 6) volumes. I am

trying to induce the publisher to give a group of portraits of those who have done good work

with fern varieties in the Lake District. I thought one of Barnes and I am promised one of the

late Mrs Hodgson. I want one of yourself, Wollaston has promised me his, would you suggest
owes and Forster or who else. I have a group in volume one of hybridizers in Vol. 2 of fern

hunters, Vol.3 I should like to illustrate the Lake District. I am also thinking of a plate of

specialists such as Druery, Masters, Baker and one or two professors."

Volume 2 is obviously progressing but there is an early hint here that the publisher is jibbing at

Lowe's plans.

1893 Sep 9th:"Many thanks for your photograph, I have written to Mr Wilson for his."

1893 Sep 18th:"I have received the ferns safely and will send Mr Barnes back to you as soon as

my son has photographed them."

1893 Oct 9th: "Your portrait that is in the group for Vol. 2 was sent to the printers at Driffield,

but it turns out that Nimmo has these with a London firm. Fawcett says he posted it to Nimmo

and Nimmo says he never received it, have you another copy? I also want to know a few details

for memoir when you were born, where born, when you commenced ferns where you have

Society of the Lakes and adding anything you like about your society so as to bring it
prominently forword. The group of portraits “siecle of Col. Jones, Major Cowburn,
Clapham, Mapplebeck and Fox is very well don

This is rather an ambiguous letter. At one point it seems as if Nimmo has volume 2 but it later
appears to be lost. Perhaps Nimmo has only placed the portraits of volume 2 with the London
firm and thus only the portraits were lost and Fawcett still has all the text? The other group of
portraits mentioned here was published in Fern Growing in 1895.

1893 Oct 18th: ".... Your portrait is now in hand and will appear in Vol.2 in January.... I have
been trying to get you a couple Hee copies of my Handbook and have as yet only succeeded in
obtaining one which I send you

1893 Nov 2nd: "Vol.1 now ae and binding. P.S. I shall send the book to you and you can
arrange for others in your district to see it.”

Volume 2 is due to appear in January and as the next letter states Volume 1 is already at the
binders, it seems as things are moving on apace.

1893 Nov 3rd: "New Fern Book in 4 volumes."

Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998) 59

Alth eS } a :"

of volumes to six, this was probably due to his haste and
his sense that it was irrelevant in the context of t the number of letters he was writing to Whitwell.
By the next day he was back to 6 volumes!

NEW ee FERN BOOK,

IN #@@R VOLUMES.

SHIRENEWTON HALL,

eens ae 4 1893.

DEAR SIR,

I shall esteem it a favour if you will
give me the following information, required
immediately for my new Fern Book.

Yours very truly,

&. J. LOWE.

INFORMATION :

1893 Nov 4th: "Did I ask you for a few details for a memoir. Your portrait appears in Vol 2, and
I have short memoirs in an introduction that must go to the printers next week."

Volume 2 is now expected to arrive at the printers in mid November.

1893 Nov 9th:".... I shall be glad to give you any of my best in the hopes that you may help me
as regards the Lake ferns for I want to grow plants that none may be missed in my fern book,
as the appendix volume will be printed after next summer s growth the last volume coming out
in October. Vol 2 athyrium will appear in January. Vol 1 in a few days.

P.S. I don’t know if you care for me to join your society if you do I shall be glad to belong to
you."

It appears to be still progressing well and at last after extracting much priceless information
from Whitwell, Stansfield and others he enquires about joining the Society. There might have
been some reluctance to join on his part because all the original members were from the north
and he might have felt he was intruding.

1893 Nov 11th: "... As regards your society use your own judgement, if I can help in any way I
Shall be glad."

1893 Nov 23rd: "New Fern Book in (4 crossed out) 6 volumes. Vol | is not yet out, it is done
but there has been a miscalculation as to cost and Mr Nimmo says he must either increase the
price or diminish the number of illustrations, I say increase the price. He's holding it back until
this is settled."

Now there is clear confirmation of Nimmo s reluctance to go ahead. Lowe was then seriously
ill for several months and perhaps lacked the energy to pressurise Nimmo.

1894 June 30th: "I beg to acknowledge the letter just received announcing that my name has
been added to that of your members. When you print it add FRS & FLS. I should have written

60 Pteridologist 3, 3 (1998)

to you long since but have had a severe illness though I am now comparatively well again. This
has interfered with the fern book and the publishers having had a dispute as to the way the
printer was doing the book determined to defer publication until I had written the whole of the
volumes when he will place it in some other printer’s hands and print all the volumes at once.
He will however in August publish the volume on crossing ferns and multiple parentage as a
separate work. I have raised a lot of fine varieties........ Vol 1 of my fern book was all printed and
sent to the binders last October but the ink used dirtied the opposite page so this work was
stopped instead of being issued on Nov Ist as advertised."

Here we have confirmation that the first volume had been printed and got as far as the binders,
but the ink used had not dried properly and had dirtied all opposite pages. The printer was
Fawcett of Driffield (see letter Oct 9th 1893 above) the same firm that produced all of Lowe's
better quality colour works in the 1860s. Fawcett was recognised 'by most authorities as one desl
the finest colour printers of the nineteenth century'(Hall 1979), it is therefore extraordin

such a reputable printer could be sacked by the publisher for poor quality printing. pedans
Fawcett had lost the skilled staff who had printed Lowe's earlier works, or perhaps Fawcett
himself was dead. It would be interesting to know if he printed the single colour plate in Fern
Growing (1895). I have not come across an advertisment specifically announcing the
publication of Volume 1 on Ist November 1893.

1894 Aug 4th: "My volume on 50 years work on multiple parentage will be printed in a month
when I will send it to your Society."

This is Fern Growing published by Nimmo in 1895. This book makes no mention of any other
works in preparation.

1894 Aug - "Not well enough to travel to Lakes, fern book postponed being issued till winter
when it will all be issued at once. In meantime a volume will be issued describing multiple
oe I have made some good discoveries lately and am almost certain to master evolution

of se "

1895 as 25th: "I now send you my fern book. I have had a long dangerous illness from which
I am now recovering."

Even Fern Growing was a year late in appearing.

1896 Aug. 2nd: "I am unable to attend your meeting but I write to say that my work on the
varieties of British Ferns will be printed in November and will contain some hundred of
illustrations from photographs... I expect the work will be in 6 volumes and will be devoted to
the varieties of British ferns."

Despite the publication of Fern Growing the full six volume work is still in the pipeline.

1896 Sep 3rd "Will you kindly send me the names and addresses of those that have good new
ferns for my fern book, I expect it will be out before Xmas. Druery sent me some nice varieties
today. "

Publication date has again slipped back from November to 'before Xmas’.

1896 Nov 7th: "I should much like a crested lonchitis Mr Boyd sent me four nice plants but
weevils destroyed them this summer. I have not got any fronds or information for my fern book
which I much regret as Stansfield said there were some that ought to go into my fern book."
This is the last letter in the collection. Does it represent the end of the saga? Lowe is still
soliciting material so the book was clearly not finished, Polystichum lonchitis would have been
in the final volume in an alphabetical arrangement as outlined in his letter of November 25th

1892. So presumably everything else was written. He had clearly not given up.

What happened after this is not known but presumably the manuscript never went back to the
printers. Hundreds of priceless photographs and five year's of concentrated research by the fern
man of The late 18th century seem to have come to nothing. Unless the manuscript is still
preserved somewhere out there...?

Lowe died in 1900.

LMT ANN

1753 00323 1310
FERN NURSERIES of BES: MEMIBEKS

BRITISH FERNS AND THEIR CULTIVARS
a very comprehensive collection is stocked by
EGINALD KAYE Ltd
36 Lindeth Road, Silverdale, Lancashire LAS OTY
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FANCY FRONDS
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The British Pteridological Society

PTERIDOLOGIST

CONTENTS
Volume 3 Part 3 1998

Editorial

Jimmy Dyce "in person"

Equisetum x Dycei and all that

Fern Recording and Monitoring: A programme to take
the BPS into the next century

Exceptionally large Asplenium Marinum on Rathlin

I , County Antrim

Dicksonia Antarctica in Tasmania. Some background to the
arguments for and against large-scale harvesting from the wild
A memoir of William Henry Phillips (1830-1923)

A Variety of Varieties

Restored Victorian fernery on the Island of Bute

Some thoughts on landscaping with ferns

Greencombe - Thumbs Up

A Wintergreen Gymnocarpium

Fern names in Gaelic and Irish. Scottish Gaelic fern
names with corresponding Irish names

Tree-ferns in cultivation in Victoria, Australia

Book Notice: The Ferns and Allied Plants of New England
Hardy North-American ferns in Britain: Then and now
Blechnums in New Zealand :

Polystichum x Dycei: A new ornamental fern hybrid
for the

Notes on Fern Books of E. J. Lowe
Instructions to authors: see Pteridologist 2,6(1995) p299

Barry A. Thomas
Betty Dyce
Chris Page

A. C. Jermy
Jack Gastrang

Michael Garrett
Paul Hackney

& Vivienne Pollock
Heather McHaffie
James Merryweather
Neil Timm

Joan Loraine

Martin Rickard

Joan W. Clark
Martin Rickard

Alastair C. Wardlaw
Jennifer Ide

- Anne Sleep
Martin Rickard

uo

49
56

Piney 4 Don, ne Te,