AN ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



445 



Nephrolepis continued. 



peltate. SYNS. N. biserrata, N. ensifolia, N. punctulata, and 

 N. splendens. 



N. biserrata (twice-serrated). A synonym of N. acuta. 



N. cordlfolia (cordate-fronded).* cau. sub-erect or oblique, the 

 wiry fibres often bearing tubers, sti. tufted, wiry, lin. to 4in. 

 long, scaly, fronds 1ft. to 2ft. long, l^in. to 2in broad : pinnae 

 close, often'imbricated, about lin. long, iin. to iin. broad, usually 

 blunt, the edge entire or slightly crenate, the under side rounded 

 or crenate, the upper distinctly auricled at the base, sort in 



a row about midway between the midrib and edge ; involucre 



ards the outer 

 species. SYN. 



firm, distinctly reniform, oblique, or opening towards the outer 

 A handsome 



edge. Tropical America, 1841. 

 N. tuberosa. 



Nephrolepis continued. 



N. d. farcans (forked). A beautiful and distinct crested variety, 

 of robust growth, sending forth numerous arching fronds from 

 3ft. to 4ft. long, and, both in habit and general appearance, a 

 great improvement on the type. See Fig. 682, for which we are 

 indebted to Messrs. W. and J. Birkenhead. 



N. Dnffii (Duff's).* sti. 6in. to Sin. long, fronds about 2ft. long, 

 tufted, pinnate, narrow-linear, the apex multifidly forked; tip 

 of frond two or three times forked, the tips of the branches again 

 shortly divided ; pinnae small, rounded or flabellate, twin, over- 

 lapping each other, crenate at the edge, sori absent. Duke of 

 York Island, 1878. A very elegant species, having fascicles of 

 numerous gracefully-arching fronds. See Fig. 683. (G. C. n. s 

 ix. 623.) 



FIG. 682. PORTION OF FROND AND DETACHED PINNA OF NEPHROLEPIS DAVALLIOIDES FURCANS. 



N. C. pectinata (comb-like). A variety of the preceding, pro- 

 ducing no tubers. Stem and rachis naked ; pinnae less distinctly 

 auricled at the base on the upper, obliquely truncate on the 

 lower, side. SYN. N. pectinata. 



N. davallioides (Davallia-like).* cau. short, stoloniferous. sti. 

 tufted, 1ft. or more long, scaly towards the base, fronds droop- 

 ing, 2ft. to 3ft. long, 1ft. or more broad ; lower pinnae barren, 4in. 

 to 8in. long, iin. to lin. broad, the apex acuminate, the edge 

 inciso-crenate to a depth of one line or less ; fertile pinnae 

 narrower, the lobes deeper, and bearing each a single sorus at 

 the point. Involucre reniform. Malaya, 1852. A beautiful 

 species, probably the handsomest of the genus, and easily dis- 

 tinguished by its pinnatifid fertile pinnae, with the sori at the 

 tip of the lobes. See Fig. 681. (G. C. 



N. ensifolia (sword-fronded). A synonym of N. acuta. 



N. exaltata (lofty), sti. tufted, 4in. to 6in. long, firm, naked, 

 or slightly scaly, fronds 1ft. to 2ft. or more long, Sin. 6in. to 

 broad ; pinnae close, liin. to Sin. long, Jin. to iin. broad, usually 

 acute, the edge entire or slightly crenate; the upper side 

 auricled, the lower rounded at the base, sori sub-marginal; 

 involucre firm, distinctly reniform. Tropics, 1793. To this 

 well-known and desirable species Mr. J. G. Baker refers 

 N. wlubilis. 



N. e. hirsutula (small-haired). A variety with the rachis densely, 

 and both surfaces more or less, coated with ferruginous down. 

 SYN. N. hirsutula. 



N. falciformis (sickle-formed), fronds lift, to 2ft. long, sub- 

 erect, linear ; pinnae numerous ; lower (sterile) ones elliptical, 



