ACROSTICHUM 



turn, 9; flaoouhim, S; gorgoneum, 11; lomarioides, 18; 

 musoosuni, lii niciitiimtefolium, 16; osmuudaceum, 19; 

 peltotum. 20; jiilosum. 5; reticulatum, 10; scandens, 12; 

 simplex. 0; sorbit'iilium, 13; squamosum, 2; villosum, 1; 

 viscosum, 4. 



A. Lcs. simple, less than 2 in. wide; veins free. 



{Elaphoglossum. ) 



B. Surface of Ivs. densely scaly fhronghotd. 



c. Texture thin, fhiccid. 



1. villdsum, Sw7,. Fig. 27. Sterile Ivs. 0-9 Ln. long ; 

 fertile Ivs. scarcely more than half as large, both with 

 abundant slender, dark-brown scales. Mex. and W. Ind. 



— Dwarf, variable. 



oc. Texture thick, leathery. 



2. squamdsum, Swz. Lvs. 6-12 in. long, the fertile 

 narriiwi-r. on lunger stems ; both surfaces matted with 

 lirii;ht rciMisli brown linear or lanceolate scales. Tropics 

 of both hemispheres. 



3. muscdBum, Swz. Sterile lvs. 6-12 in. long, fertile 

 much shorter ; upper surface slightly scaly, the lower 

 densely matted with ovate, rusty scales. Tropics of 

 both hemispheres. S. 1:211. — Very distinct in habit. 



BB. Surface of lvs. slightly scaly. 



4. viscosum, Swz. Sterile lvs. 6-12 in. long, narrowed 

 gradiKilly at the basr ; the fertile shorter, on longer 

 stems ; tcxt\irc Iratlicrr, the surfaces somewhat viscid. 

 Tropics uf both hemispheres. 



5. pilAsum, HBK. Lvs. flexuous, 0-8 in. long. ?iin. 

 wide, with tufts of star-like scales beneath; texture her- 

 baceous. Mex. to Columbia.— Chiefly of botanical in- 

 terest. 



EBB. Surface of lvs. not scaly; texture leathery. 



D. Margins of lvs. thick, cartilaginous . 



G. simplex, Swz. Sterile lvs. 4-12 in. long, with a very 



acute point, the lower portion gradually narrowed into a 



short, somewhat margined stem. W. Ind. to Brazil. 



7. confdrme, Swz. Sterile lvs. 2-9 in. long, with a 

 bluntish point and wedge-shaped or spatulate base; fer- 

 tile lvs. narrower. Tropics of both hemispheres. 



DD. Margins of leaves not thiehened. 



8. fl&ccidum, F^e. Sterile lvs. 0-12 in. long, with very 

 acute point, the lower portion gradually narrowed to the 

 short stem; fertile Ivs. on astern 3-4 in. long. .S. Amer. 



— Of botanical interest only. 



AA. Lvs. simple; veins uniting to form a network. 



B. Sid-fuce of lvs. ihiiseli/ clnthi-il with narrow scales. 



[H,jn„:,,.„li,nn.) 



9. crinitum, Linn. Elephant-eak Pern. Lvs.lO-18in. 

 long, 4-8 in. wide, on densely scaly stems ; fertile lvs. 

 smaller, on shorter stems. W. Indies. F.S. 9: 936, as 

 H. crinittim. — OTcat sand in potting, and avoid over- 

 watering. 



BB. Surface of lvs. mostly smooth, 6-15 in. long. 



10. reticulatum, Kaulf. Lvs. on distinct stems, witn 

 wedge-shaped bases, IJ-^ in. wide; veins forming copious 

 meshes. [Chrysodium.) Hawaiian Islands. — Of botani- 

 cal interest only. 



11. g:0T§r6neum, Kaulf. Lvs. tapering gradually down- 

 ward to the short stem, 2-3 in. wide ; veins forming 

 meshes only near the margin. (Aconiopteris.) Hawaiian 

 Isl.— Of little decorative value. 



AAA. Lvs. pinnate. 

 B. Ferns climbing witli narrow, fertile pinnoc. 



12. scdndens, J. .Smith. Rootstock widely climbing : 

 lvs. 1-3 ft. long, with pinnBB 4-8 in. long ; fertile pinnae 

 slender, 6-12 in. long; texture leathery. (Stenochlwna.) 

 India. S. 1:224. — A vigorous grower and coarse feeder, 

 much used in cooler houses of large ferneries. 



13. sorblJdlium, Linn. Rootstock climbing, often prick- 

 ly: lvs. 12-18 in. long, 6-12 in. wide, with close veins; fer- 

 tile pinnae 2— t in. long, narrow. (Lomariopsis.) E. and 

 W. Ind. to Braz. 



BB. Ferns with creeping rootstocks and scattered lvs. 



c. Veins united only near the margin; fertile lvs. bi- 



pinnate. 



14. cervlnum, Swz. Fig. 28. Lvs. 2-4 ft. long, with 

 pinna; 4-9 in. long, 1-2 in. wide; fertile pinnae slender. 



ACROSTICHUM 



21 



narrow, 4-8 in. long. (Olfersia.) Mex. and Cuba to 



Braz. S. 1:192. 



cc. y'eins forming meshes everywhere. (Gymnopteris.) 



1.1. alifenum, Swz. Sterile Ivs. 1-2 ft. long, triangular, 

 with the upper pinnae decurrent, and the lower at least 

 sinuate or even incised ; fertile lvs. smaller, with nar- 

 row pinniP, the upper decurrent. Cuba and Mex. to 

 Braz. 



10. nicotianaefdlium, Swz. Sterile lvs. with 3-7 pinnae 

 which are (i-12 in. long and 2-3 in. wide, with nearly 

 entire edges ; fertile lvs. smaller, with 3-7 pinnae 3-4 in. 

 long. 1 in. wide. W, Ind. to Braz. 



27. Acrostichum villosum 

 (XM)- See No. 1. 



28. Acrostichu 



(XJa). See No. 14. 



fron 



BBB. Ferns of swampy places, growing in 

 erect rootstocks. 



17. aiireum, Linn. Lvs. fertile only in the upper pinnae, 

 3-0 ft. long, with pinnae 6-10 in. long, short stalked, 

 coriaceous. Fla. to Braz. and in the tropics of the old 

 world. S. 1: 187. — Strong-growing. One of the kest. 

 Should be treated as an aquatic. 



18. lomarioides, Jenman. Sterile and fertile lvs. dis- 

 tinct, the sterile shorter and spreading, the fertile taller 

 and more erect in the center of the cluster ; pinnae 9-14 

 in. long, almost sessile. Pla. to Braz. 



AAAA. Lvs. bipinnatifid or bipinnate ; veins free. 

 CPotybotra.) 



19. osmundilceum. Hook. Rootstock wide, climbing, 

 with long, linear scales : sterile lvs. 2-3 ft. long, the 

 lower pinnje 8-10 in. long, with numerous slightly 

 stalked segments; fertile lvs. tripinnate, with the lower 

 pinnae 1-2 ft. long, 4-8 in. wide, with narrow, cylindric 

 segments V4-?4 in. long. W. Ind. to Braz. — Probably 

 the handsomest of the climbing kinds. 



AAAAA. Lvs. palmate from creeping rootstocks : 

 plants small. 



20. pelt&tum, Swz. Lvs. 1-2 in. each way on slender 

 stems, repeatedly forked into very narrow divisions; 

 fertile lvs. H-K in. wide, circular, or somewhat 2-lobed. 

 ( Khipidopteris. I Mex. and W. Ind. to Braz.— A delicale 

 and distinct plant, needing moisture all the year round. 



