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440 
THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 
NEPHRODIUM (from nephros, a kidney; referring 
to the shape of the spore-cases). ORD. Filices. Including 
Arthropteris (in part), Camptodium, Dryopteris, Lastrea, 
Pleocnemia, and Sagenia. A very large genus (about 
300 species) of stove, greenhouse, or hardy ferns, widely 
distributed, and including species which vary con- 
siderably in size, texture, cutting, and venation. Sori 
sub-globose, dorsal or terminal on the veinlets; in- 
volucre cordate-reniform, attached by the sinus. Gene- 
rally speaking, Nephrodiums are of very easy culti- 
vation, the stronger growing kinds thriving best in good 
loam, and the weaker ones in loam, leaf mould, and 
sand, or peat and loam. Several species are most 
desirable subjects for Wardian cases and for planting 
in the cool fernery. For general culture, &c., see 
Ferns. Except where otherwise stated, stove treat- 
ment is required. 
N. abortivum (abortive). sti. tufted, 6in. to 12in. long, firm, 
erect. pora lft. to 2ft. long, 6in. to 8in. broad; central pinnæ 
din. to Ain. long, gin. to Zin. broad, cut about one-third of the 
way down into close, entire, truncate lobes, zin. broad; lower 
pinne distant, and reduced suddenly to mere auricles. sort 
medial. Penang, Java, and Ceylon. 
N. abruptum (abrupt). A synonym of N. truncatum. 
lowest bey than the others, which are ovate-lanceo- 
e rachis below into deeply pinnatifid lobes, 
with aristate teeth; under surface glandular. Involucre not 
—— itain, Madeira, and Azores. A handsome 
rdy species, smelling like hay when dried. SYNS. N. rene 
and Lastrea recurva. = 
N. albo-punctatum (white-spotted). rhiz. wide-creeping, scan- 
dent, scaly or naked. sti. naked, jointed. fronds Qin. to 12in. 
long, din. to Ein. broad; pinnæ spreading, 2in. to Sin. long, jin. 
entires lobes. sori terminal on the veinlets, near the edge. 
Guinea, Natal, Fiji, &c. A very pretty and distinct species. 
Syn. Arthropteris albo-punctata. : 
N. amboinense (Ambo; 
naked. fronds . or more long, 8in. to 12in. ; pinne 
spreading, 3in. to 4in. long, zin. to gin. broad, cut about a quarter 
down into bluntish, slightly falcate lobes ; lower pinn shorter, 
and deflexed. sori in rows close to the midrib; capsules naked. 
Philippines, &c. 
N. Arbuscula (little tree).* sti. tufted, 4in. to 8in. long. fronds 
lft. to 14ft. long, 6in. to 8in. broad; pinnæ close, numerous, Sin. 
to 4in. long, . to kin. broad, cut a quarter or less down into 
blunt lobes, several of the lower pairs short and distant. sori 
in close rows. Mascarene Islands, Ceylon, &c. Syn. N. Hookeri, 
N. aristatum (awned). A synonym of N. Otaria. 
N. articulatum (jointed). A synonym of N. pennigerum. 
N. catopteron (downwards-winged).* sti. 3ft. to 4ft. long, 
pubescent. fronds 4ft. to 6ft. long, 2ft. to 3ft. broad; lower 
pinne lft. to 14ft. long, oblong-lanceolate, with close, lanceolate 
pinnules, or sub-deltoid, with some of the pinnules of the lower 
side compound; segments oblong, bluntish, about żin. long, jin. 
broad, more or less deeply pinnatifid. sori copious ; involucre 
tirm. Cape Colony, &c. Greenhouse. 
N. chrysolobum (golden-lobed). sti. tufted, Ain. to_6in. long, 
slender, villose, scaly below. fronds 6in. to din. long, 3in. to din. 
broad; pinnæ Izin. to 2in. long, gin. broad, cut down nearly to 
the — — into close, blunt, entire lobes, zin. broad, the lowest 
pair deflexed and slightly stalked. sori near the apex. Brazil, 
&c., 1840. A very pretty species, but rarely seen in cultivation. 
S Syn, Lastrea 3 
N. cicutarium (Cicuta-like).* sti. 1ft. or more long. fronds lft. 
to 2ft. long, sub-deltoid, the apex deeply pinnated, with sinuated 
lanceolate lobes ; below this, three to six pinne on each side, the 
lowest sub-deltoid, deeply pinnatifid or pinnate below. sori 
rather „ in two rows near the main veins, on connected or 
free veinlets. Tropics of both hemispheres. SYN. Sagenia 
). sti. tufted, 6in. to 8in. long, nearly 
Ag, ne 
N. cuspidatum (pointed).* sti. lft. or more long, naked, 
densely scaly at the base. fronds 2ft. to 3ft. long, 8in. to 12in. 
b ; pinne Ain. to 6in. long, zin. broad, the edge sharply 
inciso-serrated to a depth of from half to one line; involucre 
_ fugacious. North India, Ceylon. 
N. cyatheoides (Cyathea-like).* sti. 1ft. to 2ft. long, naked. 
_ fronds 2ft to 3ft. long, lft. or more broad; pinnz close, spread- 
ig, Ain. to 6in. long, Zin. to lin. broad, the apex acuminate, 
the edge irregular, furnished with acute forward-pointing teeth 
to a depth of one or two lines, the lowest pair not shorter than 
the next. -sori one on each veinlet, close to the main 
Sandwich and Sumatra. A very handsome but 
‘greenhouse species. (H. S. F. iv. 2414.) 
aroen, cut half down to the rachis-or more into oblong, blunt, 
N. F. 
Nephrodium—continued. 
N. decompositum (decompound).* rhiz. wide-creeping. sti. Ift. 
to 1sft. long, scaly at base. fronds lft. to 2ft. long, 1ft. or more 
broad, ovate-lanceolate or deltoid ; lower pinn much the largest, 
deltoid, 4in. to gin. long, 2in, to din. broad; pinnules lanceolate, 
more or less deeply pinnatifid ; segments unequal-sided, ovate- 
rhomboidal, deeply pinnatifid, with toothed lobes. sori rather 
large, placed_ midway between the midrib and edge. Australia 
to riji, 1825. A handsome greenhouse species, ‘SYN. Lastrea 
decomposita. 
N. d. glabellum (smoothish). fronds more finely cut than in 
the type, with more copious spinulose teeth, villose only on the 
rachis above, the surfaces glossy, and lobes not imbricated. A 
very desirable greenhouse form, having an abbreviated rhizome. 
SYN, Lastrea glabella. 
N. decurrens (decurrent). rhiz. creeping. sti. narrowly winged, 
often nearly or quite to the base. fronds 2ft. to Aft. long, lft. 
or more broad, cut down to a winged rachis into from four to 
eight pairs of sinuated linear-oblong pinnæ, 6in. to 12in. long, 
lin. to 2in. broad, the lowest sometimes forked. sori large, in 
two regular rows between the principal veins. Tropical Asia, 
&c. SYN. Sagenia decurrens. 
N. decursivo-pinnatum (decursive-pinnate).* sti. tufted, Sin. 
to Ain. long, scaly. fronds lft. or more long, Sin. to Ain. broad; 
pinnæ linear, lin. to 2in. long, jin. broad, the edge more or less 
pinnatifid, the bases connected by a broad lobed wing, the lower 
one gradually reduced and sometimes distinct; involucre minute, 
fugacious. Japan, &c. Hardy. 
N. deltoideum (deltoid).* sti. tufted, 3in. to 6in. long, densely 
scaly. fronds lft. to 2ft. long, Ain. to Sin. broad; pinne of the 
lower third or quarter suddenly dwarfed, the larger ones 2in. to 
4in. long, Zin. to lin. broad, cut two-thirds of the way down into 
close entire lobes, two lines broad. sori nearer the edge than 
the midrib ; involucre very fugacious. West Indies. A singular 
and beautiful species. Syn. Lastrea deltoidea. 
N. dissectum (dissected). sti. tufted, 1ft. or more long, rather 
slender. fronds lft. to 5ft. long, lft. to 3ft. broad, deltoid ; lower 
pinnæ varying from simply pinnatifid, with broad, blunt lobes, 
to lft. long, with similar pinnatifid pinnules, the centre usually 
uncut for a breadth of zin. to din., and the uncut bluntish or 
acute ultimate divisions as broad. sori’ copious, generally sub- 
marginal. India, Ceylon, to Madagascar. Syns. V. membrani- 
folium, Lastrea dissecta. 
N. eriocarpum (woolly-spored). A synonym of N. odoratum. 
N. erythrosorum (red-sorused).* sti. tufted, 6in. to din. long, 
more or less densely scaly. fronds lft. to 14ft. long, 8in. to 12in. 
broad, ovate-lanceolate ; pinnze lanceolate, the lowest the largest, 
Hin. to 6in. long, 14in. broad, cut down to the rachis below into 
oblong bluntish pinnules, 2in. or 3in. broad, the edge slightly, 
sometimes spinosely, toothed. sori in rows of six to nine to 
a pinnule, near the midrib; involucre half a line broad, flat, 
bright red when young. — 1 and China. Hardy. Syn. Lastrea 
erythrosora. (H. S. F. iv. 253.) 
N. eusorum (large-sorused). A synonym of N. truncatum. 
. extensum (extensive). sti. lft. to 2ft. long. fronds 2ft. to 
Aft. long, lft. to 14ft. broad; pinnæ in. to din. long, gin. to Zin. 
broad, cut about two-thirds down to the rachis into linear-oblong 
lobes ; lower pinnæ scarcely shorter than the rest. sort in rows, 
nearly terminal in the veins, and not confined to the lobes. 
Ceylon, Philippines, &c. 
N. Filix-mas. Male Fern.“ sti. tufted, bin. or more long, more or 
less densely scaly. fronds 2ft. to 3ft. long, 8in. to 12in. broad; 
pinnz lanceolate, Ain. to 6in. long, zin. to ljin. broad, cut down 
very nearly to the rachis into close, blunt, regular, sub-entire lobes, 
one and a-half to two lines broad, lower ones rather shorter than 
the others; involucre large, convex. Cosmopolitan. SYN. Lastrea 
Filix-mas. Of this very widely-distribu hardy species, the 
following are the more important varieties. 
N. F.-m. abbreviatum cristatum (short-crested). A charmin 
miniature form, growing from 10in. to 14ft. high, with distant an 
crested pinnæ. 
N. F.-m. acrocladon (branch-tipped). An elegant and distinct 
form, with fronds 1àft. or more long, ovate-lanceolate, deep rich 
green, and having the apex of each pinne, as well as the top of 
the frond, profusely crested. 
N. F.-m. Bollandiz (Mrs. Bolland’s). A handsome and distinct 
form, the fronds of which are from lft. to 1#ft. long, 8in. or Qin. 
wide, thin, and remarkable for their width and undulate appear- 
ance. 
N. F.-m. crispa (curled). A pretty variety for the Wardian case, 
having fronds about Qin. long, 9 with the pinne 
and pinnules crowded and imbricate. 
-m. cristatum (crested).* A handsome variety, having 
fronds about 2ft. long and 10in. broad, frequently, however, ex- 
ceeding these dimensions; pinnz shorter and narrower than in 
the type ; apex of frond and each pinna beautifully tasselled or 
crested. There is a most desirable form of this variety known as 
angustatum, in which the fronds are only about 2zin. wide. 
N. F.-m. fureans (forked). A fine and robust-growing variety, 
with fronds nearly 2ft. long, and the apex of each pinna forked. 
