126 



The Dictionary of Gardening, 



Aspidinm — continue d. 



spinoso-serrated throughout, auricled at the base above ; the 

 pinnfB of the upper half fertile, much smaller, son occupyin<x the 

 wliole undi-r .side. North America. Syn. Polyntichuiii acrosti- 

 v/ioldcs. ll:irdy. 



A, a. grandiccps (large-crested).* A very handsome fern, having 

 the apices of the fronds and pinnjT* heavily crested ; equally de- 

 sirable for the hardy or temperate fernery. Of garden origin. 



A, a. incisum (incised).* A variety with the pinnules deeply 

 cut and acutely pointed. 



A. aculeatum (sharp-pointed).* The Hard Shield Fern. sti. 

 tufted, 6in. to 12in. lung, more or less scaly, fronds 1ft. to 3ft. 

 long, 6in. to liiin. broad, ovate-lanceolate ; lower pinn:e close, 

 lanceolate, 4in. to 6in. long, iin. to gin. broad; pinnules ovate- 

 rhomboidal, unequal sided, auricled on the upper base ; teeth 

 aristate. sort nearer the midrib than the edge. A variable and 

 hardy species, coninu>n throughout the world. Syn. Polifstichnm 

 aculeatum. A. a. jrraliferwm is a proliferous Australian form. 

 A. a. vestituia has the rachis densuly clothed to the point, both 

 with reddish -brown tibrillose and large lanceolate dark brown 

 scales. See Fig. 166. 



A. amabile (lovely), sti. scattered, 6in. to 12in. long, slightly 

 scaly below, fronds 1ft. or more long, 6in. to 12in, broad, with a 

 lanceolate terminal pinna, and three to six lateral ones on each 

 side, which are Sin. to 6in. long, Iin. to liin. broad, the lowest 

 sometimes divided at the base ; segments sub-rhomboidal, with 

 at least half the lower side cut away, the upper side and part of 

 the lower lobed and sharply spinuloso-serrated. sori sub-marginal. 

 Ceylon. Stove species. Syn. Polystichum amabile. 



A. angulare (angular). The Soft Shield Fern. Botanically this 

 is only a variety of A. aculeatum; but, to the cultivator, it is 

 abundantly distinct. The fronds are not so tapered at the base, 

 the pinnules are more equal in size, and the lower ones distinctly 

 stalked, while tlie texture is much less rigid than in A. aculeatum, 

 the caudex bus a tendency to elongate. Almost cosmopolitan in 

 its distributiou. Syn. Polystichum anrjulare. There are an 

 enormous number of varieties, many of which are not under cultiva- 

 tion. Amongst the best found in gardens are altitum, Ba;ili(i\ con- 

 cinnumy corymbiferum^ cristatum, curtuiii, dissuni/e, fjrundircj-s, 

 imbrica'tum, KitsonicB, lineare, parmasimum, jdiiiiicsuin, pvlydac- 

 tylon, pruliferuiiL, rotundatum, Wakcleyanum, WooUastmii. 



Fig. 167. Aspidium angulare GRANniCEPS. 



A. a. grandiceps (large-crested). This is a narrow fronded 

 variety, having the apices of the fronds branched and crested, ulti- 

 mately producing a broad tasselled head. A very handsome 

 fern. See Fig. 167. 



A. anomaluxn (.inomalous). sti. tufted, 1ft. to 2ft. long, densely 

 scaly below, fronds 2ft. to 3ft. long, 1ft. or more broad ; lower 

 pinna; 6in. to 9in. long, 2in. to Sin. broad; pinnules lanceolate, 

 cut down in the lower part into oblong segments ; teeth bhmt or 

 slightly mucronate. sori placed near the sinuses of the pinnules. 

 Ceylon. Stove species. Syn. Polystichum a7iomahi7n. 



A. aristatum (awned).* rhi2. creeping, sti. scattered, 9in. to 

 18in. loug, very scaly below, frmidi- 1ft. to 2ft. long. Sin. to 12in. 

 broad, ov;ite-deltoid, tri- or qxiadripinnatifid ; lowerpinnai largest, 

 4in. to 6in. long, 2in. to 3in. broad; lowest pinnules nmch the 

 largest, lanceolate-deltoid ; teeth copious aristate. sori small, 

 principally in two rows near the midrib. Japan, Himalayas, 

 New South Wales, &c. Greenhouse species. S'^'N. Polystichum 

 aristatum. 



Aspidium — continued. 



A. a, conilfoliuzn (Coninm-leavcd).* fronds more finely divided ; 



segments ccipiousiy toothed, with lower lot>es distinct. 

 A, a. variegatum (variegated).* A handsome variety, with a 



bro;id band <if gr.-en runnfug through the biLses of tlie pimiule.s 



al'iuu tilt; roursc uf the rachis. 



A. auriculatum (careil).* .v/('. tufted, 4in. to 6iu. long, scaly Titdow 

 or thrnii'^hoiit. fronds 12in. to 18in. hmg, 2iu. t" 4in. broad: 

 liiiuue nuTiit-rous, siili-sessile, usually close, liu. to 2in. hnig, about 

 -^in, broad, ovate-rlioinboidal, falcate, acute, spiuoso-serrated, 

 the upper base auri.cled, tlie lower one truncate, sori in two rows. 

 India, widely distributed. Stove species, SYNS. A. oceUatam^ 

 J'i'histichuin. aiiricnlatuin. 



A. a, lentum (pliant). Pinn:e cut into oblong mucronate lobes 

 abnut h:iif-way down to the rachis, the auricle sometimes quite 

 free. 



A. a. marginatum (margined).* A variety with more coriaceous 



texture ; tipper edge of tlie pinufe slightly hibed. 



A. capense (Cape).* sti. scattered, 1ft. to 2ft. long, densely scaly 

 below, fronds 1ft. to 5ft. lung, 12in. to 18iu. broad, sub-deltoid ; 

 lowest pinnaj the largest, 6iu. to Sin. long, 3m. to 4in. broad ; 

 pinnules and segments lanceolate, the latter bluntly h)hed. sori 

 very large and copious. South America, New Zealand, Cape 

 Colony, Natal, &c. Greenhouse species. Syns, A. coriaceumt 

 Polystichum capense. 



A. confortum. (compressed). Synonymous with A. meniscioides. 



A. coriaceum (leathery). Synonymous with A. capense, 



A. £alcatum (hooked).* sti. tufted, 6in. to 12in. long, densely scaly 

 below, fronds 1ft. to 2ft. long, 6in. to 9in. broad, simply pinnate ; 

 pinnaj numerous, the lower sUilked, ovate-acuminate, falcate, 3in. 

 to 5in. long, Iin. to 2in. broad ; edge entire or slightly undulated, 

 the upper side narrowed suddenly, sometimes auricled, the lower 

 rounded or obliquely truncate at the base, sori small, copious, 

 scattered. Japan, (Jhina, Himalayas, &c. SVN. Cyrtomium fal- 

 catum. 



A. f. caryotideum. (Gary ota-1 ike) has pinnse sometimes larger, 



sharply toothed, slightly lobed, sometimes auricled on both sides. 

 Syn. Cyrtomium caryotideum. 



A- f. Fortunei (Fortune's).* This differs from the type in having 

 pitmse narrower and more opaque. All are most useftd house 

 ferns, and quite hardy in many parts of the country. Syn. Cyrto- 

 tniui/i Fortunei. 



A. falcinellum (finely-hooked).* sti. tufted, 4in. to Sin. long, 

 densely scaly, f rands Sin. to 18in. long, 3in. to 6in. broad ; central 

 pinn;e 2in. to 3in. long, jin. broad; point acute; edge finely 

 serrated ; the upper side bluntly auricled, the lower obliquely 

 truncate at the base, sari in two long rows. Madeira. Green- 

 house species. Syn. Polystichum falcinellum. 



A. flexum, (bending), rhiz. stout, wide-creeping. s(t. scattered, 

 1ft. long, scaly, fronds 2ft. to 3ft. long, 9in. to 12in. broad ; lower 

 pinna^ lanceolate-deltoid, 4in. to 6in. long, 2in. to 4in. broad ; pin- 

 nules lanceolate-deltoid, cut down to the rachis below into oblong 

 bluntly-lobed segments, sori. large, in two rows, copious. Juan 

 Fernandez. Stove species. SY'N. Polystichu7n Jlezum. 



A. foeniculaoeum (Fennel-leaved).* rAi2. creeping. s(i. scattered, 

 6in. to 12in. long, densely scaly below, fronds 1ft. to 2ft. long, 

 and Sin. to 12in. broad, lanceolate-deltoid, four to five piunatifid ; 

 lower pinu;e 6in. to Sin. long, 3in. to 4in. broad ; ultimate divisions 

 linear, awned, with a firm texture, sori solitary. (Greenhouse 

 species. Sikkim, 7,000ft, to 10,000ft. SYN. Polystichum fcenicu- 

 laceum. 



A. firondosum (leafy), sti. scattered, 1ft. to 2ft. long, densely 



scaly below, fronds IBin. to 24in. long, 1ft. or more broad, 

 sub-deltoid; lower pinnpe much the largest, long stalked; pin- 

 nules lanceolate ; segments very unequal sided, pimiatifid, with 

 rounded mucronate lobes, obliquely truncate at the base below. 

 sori large, copious. Madeira. Greenhouse species. Syt*. Poly' 

 stichum frondosum. 

 A. Hookeri (Hooker's), sti. 1ft. or more long, naked, fronds 

 2ft. to 3ft. long ; pinnje 6in. to Sin. long, Iin. broad, cut down to 

 a broadly-wingea rachis into nearly close, spreading, entire, 

 linear-oblong lobes Jin. broad, sori nearer the edge than the mid- 

 rib. Malay Archipelago. Stove species. Syns. ^A. nephrodioides 

 and Cj/clcdium lluokeri. 



A. laserpitiifolium (Laserpitium-leaved).* sti. 4in. to 6in. long, 

 stnunineciis, scaly at base, fronds 12in. to 18in. long, 6in. to Sin. 

 broad, ovate-deltoid, tripinnate ; lower pinnae the largest, with 

 pinnules on the lower side prolonged, lanceolate, imbricated with 

 small, distinct, bluntly-lobed segments, sori in two rows, very 

 copious. Japan. A very desirable greenhouse species. Syns. 

 Lastrea Sta7idi3hii (of gardens) and Polystichum laserpitiifolium. 



A. lepidocaulon (scaly-stemmed), sti. tufted, 6in. to Sin. long, 

 densely clothed with large cordate scales. fro7ids 1ft. or more 

 loug, 4in. to 6in. broad, sometimes elongated and rooting at the 

 point : pinna> 2in. to 3in. long, iin. to -[in. broad, lanceolate-fal- 

 cate, the two sides unequal, the upper one auricled at the base. 

 sori princii>ally in two rows, near the midrib. Japan. Green- 

 house species. Sy'N. Polystichum lepidocaulon. 



A. Lonchitls (spar-like).* The Holly Fern. sti. densely tufted, 

 Iin. to 4in. long, scaly at base, fronds 1ft. to 2ft. long, Iin. to 

 Sin. broad, pinnate throughout ; pinnte ^^in. to IMn. long, ^in. to 

 iin. broad, ovate-rhomboidal, sub-falcate, the two aides unequal. 



