POLYPODIACEAE 51 
the apex; ultimate segments of the fertile fronds oblong, prominently 
toothed, inequilateral, coriaceous, the veins prominent, irregular, oblique. 
Sori 4 to 15 to a segment, marginal, shorter than the teeth; indusium 
half-cup-shaped. 
Occasionally cultivated in hanging baskets, etc.; widely distributed in 
the Philippines. Tropical Africa and Asia to Polynesia. 
4. ATHYRIUM Roth 
Terrestrial ferns with small to large, usually glabrous fronds. Root- 
stock erect or creeping. Fronds usually clustered, simple, or pinnate to 
tripinnate, the veins free or anastomosing, the stipes not jointed to the 
rootstocks. Sori superficial, springing from the sides of the veins or 
veinlets, single or double, usually elongated, the indusium opening on the 
side away from the vein. 
Species more than 300 in the warmer parts of both hemispheres, 46 in 
the Philippines. 
1. A. esculentum (Retz.) Copel. (Diplazium esculentum Sw.). Paco (Tag.). 
Rootstocks stout, the caudex erect, woody, thickened, bearing many black, 
wiry roots, the tip clothed with brown, linear scales. Stipes 20 to 50 
em long, smooth or nearly so, green. Fronds 2- or 38-pinnate, 50 to 80 
cm long, ovate in outline; about one-half as wide; pinnules lanceolate, 
acuminate, rather coarsely serrate, or serrate-crenate, 2 to 5 cm long, 
sessile or very shortly stalked, base truncate, sometimes auricled on one 
or both sides, glabrous, chartaceous, veins pinnate, extending from the 
costa to the margin, sterile, their branches bearing sori, anastomosing in 
pairs from neighboring veins. 
Occasional in gardens, Singalon; widely distributed in the Philippines 
along streams, etc. India to Polynesia. 
5. ASPLENIUM Linnaeus 
Slender or coarse, terrestrial or epiphytic ferns with simple and entire 
to pinnate or bipinnate and finely dissected fronds, the stipes not jointed 
to the rootstock. Sori simple, usually linear and elongated, diagonal on 
the lower surface of the frond, usually confined to the upper side of the 
veins. Indusium the shape of the sorus, rarely continuous over the veins, 
opening obliquely toward the costa, rarely toward the margins. (Greek 
“without” and “spleen,” reference to supposed medicinal properties.) 
Species about 440, in all parts of the world, about 45 in the Philippines. 
Fronds simple; epiphytes with large entire fronds growing in crowns. 
1. A. nidus 
Fronds pinnate; terrestrial tufted ferns, the pinnae lanceolate, long- 
ACUMINATE? TaAlCntere Mia Te See a 2. A. macrophyllum 
1. A. nidus L. Bird’s Nest Fern. 
A large, coarse, epiphytic fern, the fronds entire, radiately arranged, 
spreading or ascending, coriaceous, shining, narrowly to broadly lanceo- 
late, acuminate, 40 to 120 em long, 6 to 20 em wide, base narrowed; veins 
very numerous, close. Sori numerous, linear, reaching from the midrib 
about half-way to the margins. (Fl. Filip. pl. 395.) 
