January 13, 1906 



HORTICULTURE 



Ferns for Everyday Use 



35 



NEPHROLEPIS PECT1NATA 



Nephrolepis Duffii 



NEPHROLEPIS CORDIFOLIA 



Neplirolepis is a small genus among ferns, nearly re- 

 lated to aspidium in botanical classification. The 

 fruit dots are kidney-shaped and in one row on each side 

 of the midrib near the edge and have more or less 

 apparent little protuberances on the upper part of the 

 leaflets, sometimes with little white chalky dots. The 

 fronds of all the species are simply pinnate, long, some- 

 times very long in proportion to the breadth. 



On account of the Boston fern, Neplirolepis exaltata, 

 and its beautiful new forms, the neplirolepis is among 

 the most grown and the most useful because of their 

 decorative qualities, their easy growing and their quick 

 reproduction through their numerous wiry creeping 

 runners. It is an almost indestructible fern, for when 

 all the fronds dry off from neglect, soon a new crop 

 will grow, with little care. Although they are so much 

 used for dwelling decoration, nevertheless it is in the 

 conservatory where they show for the best, when they 

 can creep over rocks and walls and develop their numer- 

 ous beautiful drooping fronds. 



It would be useless to repeat what has often been told 

 about Neplirolepis exaltata and its forms, their culture 

 and propagation, in the horticultural press. The other 

 'species need no other testimonial. But there are a few 

 species less known and so seldom seen as to deserve to lie 

 noticed. Neplirolepis acuta is found in the same coun- 

 try as exaltata, all over the tropical world. They both 

 are found in Florida. Acuta looks much like Boston 

 fern, is of more erect habit, the fronds arching and 

 not drooping and of heavier texture. 



Neplirolepis cordifolia or tuberosa from West Indies 

 and Central America is found also in Japan and New 

 Zealand. It is a nice erect, compact-growing species 

 with narrow arching fronds, the leaflets of a dark 

 green color, set near together. In addition to the 

 buds which grow along the runners there are some 

 tubers which can be used for propagating. There are 

 other species which grow tubers but they are deciduous. 

 drop their fronds in winter, and have to be kept dor- 

 mant during that time but not dried out. These tubers 

 are of a woody nature, and would grow no more if not 

 kept moist. Neplirolepis pluma from Madagascar and 

 Neplirolepis undulata from West Africa are some of 

 them ; the first has long narrow pendulous fronds, the 

 other short erect ones. Both are of soft texture and 

 have the leaflets dentated. 



Nephrolepis davallioides from East Indies is a big- 

 growing species, has the fronds long and larger than 

 in other species and of heavy texture. Its form, fur- 

 cans, is forked at the ends of the leaflets and plumosa 



is of smaller size, three and four times forked at the 

 ends. 



Nephrolepis Duffii from the South Sea Islands is one 

 of the most interesting of the genus, relatively dwarf 

 and erect in habit, compact growing. The fronds are 

 very narrow, crowded with little gnarly, round leaflets, 

 the top is arching and sometimes forked. It makes a 

 nice pot plant. 



Nephrolepis rufeseens is the type of the better-known 

 Neplirolepis rufeseens tripinnatifida. Both are from the 

 South Sea Islands. Both are of the most striking in 

 the nephrolepis group because of their feathery appear- 

 ance. The fronds are long, erect and long-stalked; the 

 leaflets, overlapping each other, are two or three times 

 divided, of a light green color, with brown hairy stems. 

 Like Diiffi and davallioides they require stove houses. 

 Nephrolepis pectinata from Central America is the best 

 to grow in little pots. They are furnished with narrow 

 one-foot-long graceful pendulous fronds, fine for table 

 decoration. In the conservatory they grow well on walls. 

 They can be used planted in wire netting filled with 

 soil and moss and built up in the form of pillars, etc. 

 They make also beautiful hanging baskets. 



Nephrolepis Phillipinense is a dwarf growing species 

 too, of erect habit, the leaflets crowded and dentated, of 

 a dark green color and leathery texture. 



Taking into consideration the popularity, beauty and 

 usefulness of Nephrolepis exaltata and its newer forms. 

 I think these few species above enumerated ought to 

 be given more attention. 



Our Frontispiece 



The handsome illustration on the cover page of this 

 issue shows one of the striking sub-tropical beds at the 

 Botanic Gardens, Washington, D. C, as planted last 

 year. Arundos, eulalias, eyperus and other grasses 

 lighten up the massive effect of the musas, cannas, and 

 other large foliaged plants. The bed contained, be- 

 side four varieties of large-leaved cannas and fourteen 

 varieties of flowering cannas. the following bananas 

 Musa sapientum, rosacea, Cavendishii, coccinea, superba, 

 paradisiaca, velutina, zobrina, Martini, Dacca, religiosa 

 and purpurea. This bed lasted in good condition until 

 November 3. 



