BLECHNUM. 17 



(Mexico) ; A. macilentum (tropical America) ; A. macropJiyllum 

 (Mauritius) ; A. mexicanum, small, pretty (Mexico) ; A. myrio- 

 pliyllum (recently introduced from Mexico by Linden) ; 

 A. nitens (Brazil) ; A. nitidum (East Indies) ; A. prcemorsum 

 (Tropics, east and west) ; A. zamicefolium (Venezuela). 



BLECHNUM. 



The species belonging to this genus may easily be distin- 

 guished by the spore-vessels, or sori, being generally arranged 

 in lines on each side of the midrib on the frond. Our common 

 Blechnum spicant is now separated from the genus and trans- 

 ferred to Lomaria, because the fertile fronds of that genus 

 are contracted, which is not the case with the true Blechnums. 

 Most of the species in this genus, as now constituted, are 

 natives of the tropical parts of the world ; and, consequently, 

 require a warm moist stove. They are easily cultivated, not 

 being liable to perish through mismanagement, unless neglected 

 in watering for a long period. 



BLECHNUM AUSTRALE (Southern). A pinnated Fern, from 

 the Cape of G-ood Hope, of considerable beauty, easily 

 increased by division. The fronds are about a foot long, pin- 

 nated; the leaflets are sessile that is, have no footstalk, 

 slightly sickle-shaped, running out into a lance-shape. The 

 end one is entire, and lengthened-out like a tail. It is a 

 good Fern, worthy of general cultivation, and by no means 

 scarce. This is now more commonly called B. cognatum. 



B. BBASILIENSE (Brazilian). We once had a large crop of 

 this fine Fern, from spores sown on a rough sandstone, placed 

 under a hand-light amongst moss. It seldom produces offsets 

 to increase by division. The fronds frequently attain 4 feet or 

 more in length ; they are pinnate, or winged, and each wing, 

 or leaflet, is from 7 to 8 inches long. The caudex, or stem, on 

 which the fronds are placed circularly, is, when fully grown, 

 2 feet high. By this description it will be perceived that this 



c 



