244 



The Dictionary of Gardening, 



Ft eris — continued. 



lowest with several lar^e similar pinnules from the under side; 

 rachises scaly, nvri extending along the whole length of the edge. 

 St. Helena. 



P. palmata (hand-shaped).* stL 1ft. or more lonz, erect, chestnut- 

 lnown. fronds ^in. to 9in. each way; barren ones with a liioad, 

 undivided centre, and five or more tri;ui>;ular lobes, of whicli the 

 terminal one is the largest, the lowest deHexed, and the sinuses 

 rounded ; fertile fronds cut down to a l)roadly-^\inged centre into 

 linear lobes, of which the upper ones are entire, and the lower 

 ones again cut on the lower side, the longest entire ones Sin. to 

 4in. long, ^in. to |in. broad ; costa^ black, nori continued to the 

 tijis of the segments. Tropical America, 1821. (H. G. F. 22.) 

 SvNS. P. collina, Doryopteris paltnata. 



P, patens (spreading).* mti. 1ft. or more long, ei'ect, chestnut- 

 brown, fronds 3ft. to 4ft. long, 2ft. or more broad ; terminal 

 fiinna 6in. to 9in. long, Uin. to 2in. broad, with several narrow- 

 inear lobes on each side, which are widened suddenly on both 

 sides within a short distance of the base, the barren ones slightly 

 serrated ; lateral pinnw numerous, similar, but larger, sometimes 

 l.^ft. long, 2in. broad, the lowest forked, nori continued nearly 

 to the ends of the segments. Ceylon, &c. (H. S. F. 137.) SYN. 

 P. decussata. 



P. pedata (footed).* sti. blackith, those of the barren fronds 3in. 

 to 4in. louig. fronds, barren ones lin. to 2in. each way, with an 

 almost entire, triangular apex, and a bluntly-divided, lateral lobe 

 on each side ; fertile ones 4in. to 6in. each way, cut nearly to 

 the rachis into several pinnae on each side, of which the upper 

 ones are linear and entire, lin. to l^in. long, the lowest pair much 

 larger than the others, and with several pinnules on the under 

 side, the lowest of which are again pinnatifid ; cost?e dark- 

 coloured. >oi-i reaching the tips of the segments. Tropical 

 America. (B. M. 3247.) Hyn. Doryopteris pedata. 



P. pellucens (pellucid). A synonym of P. lon^ipes. 



P. podophylla (duck's-foot-fronded). sti. 4ft. or more long, ^in. to 

 |in. thick at base, muricated below, straw-coloured, fronds 

 ample, ternately divided ; terminal pinna 6in. or more long, lin. 

 to liin. broad, cut two-thirds of the way to the rachis into 

 numerous linear- oblong, falcate lobes, which are finely spinulose- 

 serrate when barren ; lateral pinnie in numerous, closely-placed, 

 nearly opposite pairs, 6in to 9in. long, lin. to Uin. broad, with 

 numerous lobes similar to those of the terminal one ; lateral divi- 

 sions of the frond like the terminal one, but smaller, .son' con- 

 tinuous, falling short of the tips of the segments. West Indies, 

 ttc. (H. U. F. 55.) SVN. Litobrochia podophylla. 



P. pungens (prickly), sti. 1ft. or more long, pale or brownish, 

 prickly, fronds 1ft. to 2(t. long, Ut. to l^ft. broad; terminal 

 pinna sometimes 1ft. long, upwards of 2in. broad, with a long, 

 entire point, and numerous close, parallel, linear-oblong lobes, 

 lin. to l^in. long, which extend nearly to the rachis, and are 

 finely toothed towards the point when barren ; lateral pinufe 

 similar to the terminal one, the lowest 2in. to Sin. below the next 

 above it, once-forked, with a smaller, similar pinnule, sori not 

 reaching the apices of the segments. West Indies. If the muri- 

 cated stipe be not of a permanent character, this cannot, accord- 

 ing to Mr. Baker, be regarded as distinct from P. quadri- 

 aurita. 



P. pyrophylla (Pyrus-fronded). A form of P. qxtadnaurita. 



P. quadriaurita (four- eared).* sti. 1ft. to 2ft. long, strong, erect, 

 straw-eoloureil or brownish, fronds 6in. to 3ft. long, 4in. to 12in. 

 or more broad ; terminal pinna cut nearly to the rachis into nume- 

 rous close, parallel, linear-oldong lobes, Ain. to lin. long, the 

 barren ones entire or slightly serrated ; lateral pinnae 6in. to 12in. 

 or more long, lin. to 2in. broad, the lowest lin. to 2in. apart at 

 the base, usually again compound, with one or two similar, luit 

 smaller, pinnules branching frnni them at the base on the lower 

 side, sort often continuous along the whole margin of the seg- 

 ments. Tropics. The following are regarded, by Mr. Baker, as 

 mere forms of this species : P. arfnjrcca, a variety with a more or 

 less distinctly marked band of white down the centre of the 

 frond (see Fi:^,. 311) ; P. felvsma, P. pyrophylla, P. sulcata. 



P, q,. tricolor (three-coloured). A synonym of P. aspericaiilis 

 tricolor. 



Fh;. 312. LowKu Portion of Fuono of Ptf.kis sac;ittifolia. 



Fteria — continued. 



P. saglttata (arrow-shaped). This name is applied to a form of 

 PeWra curdata. 



P. saglttifolia (arrow-fronded).* sti. 4in. to 6in. long, erect, 

 blarkisli, frondx 4in. to 6in. long, 2in. to 3in. liroad, hjistate- 

 lanceolate or sub-triangular, the basal lobes triangular, acu- 

 minate, directed downwards, the margins entire, midrib blackish, 

 sori cont)nue<l all round the margin. Venezuela to Brazil . 

 See Fig. 312. (H. E. F. 39.) Syn. Doryopteris myittifoUa. 



Fig. 313. Pi.nna of Pteris scaberula. 



P. scaberula (slightly scabrous).* rhiz. wide -creeping, sti. 6in. 

 to 12in. long, strong, flexuous, bright reddish-brown, scabrous. 

 fronds lit. to lift, long, 6in. to 9in. broad, lanceolate or ovate- 

 lanceolate, tri- or quadri-pinnatifid ; lower pinna^ lanceolate- 

 deltoid, 4in. to 9in. long, cut down to the rachis into numerous 

 lanceolate pinnules on each side, which are again cut down into 

 oblong, toothed segments, about Jin. long, sort copious, when 

 mature occupying nearly the whole segment, except the midrib. 

 New Zealand. Greenhouse. See Fig. 313. (H. S. F. 93a.) 



Fjo. 314. Lowest I*inna of Pteris semitinnata, 



