AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



241 



Pteris continued. 



Many Tarieties of this 



inner one obsolete. Ubiquitous (Britain). 



species have been found, but they are not constant in cultivation. 



P. a. esculenta (edible). Edible Fern of Tasmania. In this 

 variety, the ultimate divisions are narrower than in the type, and 

 not contiguous, and are suddenly decnrrent at the base, so that 

 the bases are connected by a narrow lobe. Southern hemi- 

 sphere, 1850. Greenhouse. The glutinous, underground rhizome 

 of this variety is eaten by the aborigines. SYN. P. etcvltnta. 

 Other varieties calling for mention are : glabra, a smooth, and 

 lanuyinuta, a woolly form. 



P. arguta (sharply-notchedX* *u 1ft or more long, strong, erect, 

 bright straw-coloured or reddish-brown, frond* 1ft to 3ft long, 

 1ft or more broad ; terminal pinna tin. to 9in. long, liin. to 2in. 

 broad, lobed nearly to the rachis, the lobes slightly toothed when 

 barren ; pinnae several on each side, rfmilar to the terminal one, 

 the lowest forked, or with one or two similar smaller pinnules 

 from the base on the lower side, tori not usually extending 

 beyond the lower half of the lobes. Madeira, <tc.. 1778. Green- 

 house. 



P. argyraea (silvery). A variety of P. quadriaurita. 



P. aspericanlis (rough-st*lkedX* rhiz. erect jft. rough, purplish 

 when young, frondt lift long, glabrous, pinnate; lowermost 

 pinnae bipartite, nearly sessile, and opposite ; pinnae deeply pin- 

 natifid or pinnate, attenuated, adnate towards the apex ; seg- 

 ments linear falcate, decurrent at base, rather obtuse, slightly 

 crenulate, minutely white-dotted beneath, tori chiefly on the 

 middle parts of the segments. India. The variety rvbro-narvia 

 has a deep purplish-red rachis and midrib. 



P. a. tricolor (three-coloured), frond*, when young, a beautiful 

 red ; when fully developed, a rich, deep green, with attractive 

 silvery markings along the sides of the midribs, which are red. 

 See Fig. 306. SYNS. P. quadriaurita tricolor (B. M. 5183), 

 P. tricolor. 



P. atrovirens (dark green), gti. 1ft long, prickly, fronds 1ft to 

 2ft long ; terminal pinna tin. to 9in. long, 2in. to Sin. broad, cut 

 nearly to the rachis into numerous linear lobes, which are slightly 

 toothed when barren ; lateral pinna? in numerous opposite pairs, 

 the lowest sometimes 1ft long, the lobes similar to those of the 

 terminal one ; the lowest pair forked, with a similar, smaller 

 pinnule on the under side ; rachis of the pinnules occasionally 

 prickly beneath, tori not reaching to the points of the segments. 

 Guinea Coast and Angola. SYX. P. tpinuKfera. 



P. aurita (eared). A form of P. ineita. 



P. biaurita (two-eared). ti.lftto2ft 

 coloured, frondt with a terminal 



to 2in. broad, cut nearly to the rai 



linear-oblong lobes, lin. or more long; lateral pinna; similar to 

 the terminal one, the lower ones 2in. apart, and usually once- 

 forked, tori continued to the apex. Tropics, 4c., 1824. SYN. 

 Campteria biaurita. P. ntmoraO* is, according to Mr. Baker, 

 not distinct from this species. 



P. brasiliensts (Brazilian). A form of P. denticvlata. 



P. collina (hill-loving). A synonym of P. palmata. 



P. comans (hairy). *ti. 1ft or more long, erect frondt bi- 

 pinnate ; terminal pinna 1ft or more long, cut nearly to the 

 rachis into long-linear lobes, which are sometimes 4in. long, 

 4in. broad, suddenly decurrent at base, bluntly toothed when 



. to 2ft long, strong, erect, straw, 

 lal pinna, tin. to 12in. long, liin. 

 rachis into numerous spreading. 



FIG. 307. PTKRIS CRETICA ALBO-U>EATA. 



Pteris continued. 



barren; lateral pinnae in a few opposite pairs, 

 long, tin. broad, the lowest 



slightly compound^* 



the' base, tori falling short of the apeT of the segment*? 

 East Indies. 1860. SYN. Litobrochia coman*. The variety 

 utidulata differs from the type in having blunter ultimate seg- 

 ments, with an undulated edge. 



P. concinna (neat). A form of P. mutiiata. 



P. crenata (scolloped). A synonym of P. entifonw. 



P. cretica (Cretan).* tti. tin. to 12in. long, erect, wiry, straw- 

 coloured or pale brown, frond* tin. to 12in. long, 4in. to Bin. 

 broad ; lateral pinna? usually in two to six opposite, sessile pairs, 

 the upper one sometimes a little decurrent, Sin. to 6iiu long, in. 

 to lin. broad, the sterile ones much the broadest and spiny- 

 toothed, the lower pairs often cleft down nearly to the base into 

 two or three linear pinnules. Involucres pale, membranous. 

 Temperate and tropical regions, <fcc., 1820. Greenhouse. There 

 is a variegated form of this species, albo-Uneata. See Fig. 307. 



P. crisp* (curled). A garden synonym of P. ttraminea. 



P. Currori (diner's), tti. stout, erect, straw-coloured, frond* 

 ample, several feet long, 2ft or more broad ; terminal pinna sub- 

 hastate, deeply lobed ; lateral pinnae numerous, the upper ones 

 4in. to 6in. long, lin. broad, with deeply and broadly sinuated 

 margins, the lowest in opposite, sessile pairs, 2in. to 3in. distant 

 from the next pair, 16in. long. Sin. broad, cut nearly to the rachis 

 in the lower part into lanceolate, sinuated lobes, 3in. deep ; rachis 

 and both surfaces slightly hairy, tori in numerous patches, which 

 are sometimes interrupted and very short. Western tropical 

 Africa. (H. S. F. 140.) SYX. LUobrochia Ourrori. 



P. decussata (decussate). A synonym of P. patent. 



P. deflexa (deflexed). tti. 2ft or more long, strong, erect, straw, 

 coloured or reddish-brown, frondt 2ft. to 4ft. long ; terminal 

 pinna tin. to9in. long, about lin. broad, long-pointed, and with 

 numerous oblong-linear lobes on each side, which are nearly cut 

 down to the rachis, about jin. long, jin. broad, the barren ones 

 sharply spinulose-serrated ; lateral pinna? numerous, similar, the 

 lower ones stalked ; lowest pair much larger than the others, often 

 more than 1ft long, 6in. to 9in. broad, witb numerous pinnate 

 pinnules on each side, tori reaching nearly to the apex of the 

 segments. Brazil, 1844. 



FKJ. 308. TPPKR PIKKA OF PTEEIS DEKTICUHTA. 



P denticulata (slightly-toothed), tti. about 1ft long, slender, 

 wirr. frond* 1ft to 2ft. long. Sin. to 12n. broad ; upper pinnae 

 simple,' linear, 4in. to 6in. long, united at base, finely spinulose- 

 serrate when barren ; those next in order cut to the rachis and 

 forked : lower ones often pinnatifid, with several linear pinnules, 

 especially on the lower side, tori not quite reaching the points of 

 thVpinnulea, Tropical America, 183 SYM. Litobroekia dentic*- 



2 I 



