64 STOVE FEENS. 



in our gardens, as, for instance, two which are annuals and 

 spring up as weeds wherever they have been grown G. chcero- 

 pJiylla and G. leptopJiylla. Three kinds, which are more or 

 less hairy or downy, and not possessed of the coloured powder 

 which we most of us look upon as characteristic of the genus 

 Gr. lanata, G-. tomentosa, and Gr. rufa. There are also a few 

 more powdered ones well worth growing Gr. calomelanos, 

 Gr. L' Herminieri, G-. Martensii, G. speciosa, Gr. Geardtii, and 

 others. The first-mentioned and speciosa are white, the others 

 are Golden Ferns. 



There are now several beautiful tufted and tasselled forms 

 of Golden and Silver Ferns, but they seldom produce spores ; 

 and, therefore, we may naturally expect that they will con- 

 tinue rare for some time to come. 



There are some others, but not particularly interesting; 

 G. ocliracea is quite a weed in the Orchid-house, and has some 

 little of the golden powder on the stalks. It is often sold for 

 the true Golden Fern. 



GYMNOPTEEIS. 



From the Greek, gymnos, naked, and pteris, a Fern ; allud- 

 ing to the exposed fertile fronds. Soil partly or entirely 

 covering the pinnae. The species differ from each other most 

 remarkably ; the one first mentioned being a coarse-growing 

 plant, while the next is remarkably neat. 



GYMNOPTEEIS NICOTIAN^FOLIA (Tobacco-leaved), Fig. 30. 

 Native of West Indies. Fertile frond about 18 inches high, 

 erect, pinnate, or bipinnate below. Pinnae large, oval. Stipes 

 covered with narrow scales. Sterile frond about 2 feet high, 

 smooth, pinnate, bright green, shining. This plant .is not 

 generally a favourite with cultivators ; it is not only rather 

 coarse in its habit, but is also very subject to the brown scale. 



G. QUEECIFOLIA (Oak-leaved). A beautiful little gem, in- 

 troduced from Ceylon a few years since. It looks like a cluster 



