66 



STOVE FERNS. 



collections, and their singular beauty recommends them even 

 to the largest. The name is a very ancient one. It was first 

 used by that ancient writer Dioscorides, and is derived from 

 hemionos, a mule, because the plant was supposed to be barren 

 an erroneous idea, for the plants not only produce spores, but 

 are actually viviparous that is, producing plants on the fronds. 

 The principal generic character consists in the superficial 

 netted spore-masses. 



HEMIONITES PALMATA (Hand-shaped), Fig. 31. A West- 



Fig. 31. Hemionites palmata. (Frond medium size.) 



