80 STOVE FERNS. 



ported from central India by Mr. Veitch. When first we 

 saw it we thought it must be a kind of Gleickew'a; but as 

 the plant became older it put on the true character of this 

 genus. The fronds are branched, like most of the family, 

 and are downy on the upper surface. 



There are several other Lygodiums in our gardens, but 

 those above mentioned are the most distinct. The others are 

 L. scandens, L. venustum, L. articulatum. 



MAEATTIA. 



A genus allied to Angiopteris, and, like it, is of a half 

 aquatic kind of habit making thick fleshy roots, and delighting 

 in plenty of water during summer. Though these plants do 

 not attain so great a size as the Angiopteris, yet they are too 

 large for any place where there is not an abundance of room 

 in the stove. The name was given in honour of J. F. Maratti, 

 an Italian botanist. 



MABATTIA LAXA (Loose). Fronds 3 or 4 feet high, thrice- 

 divided, light green. This plant almost always looks flaccid, 

 as though wanting water. It is by no means attractive. 



M. PUEPUBASCENS (Purplish). The dark green fronds rise 

 with thick stems from a more massive-looking crown than 

 that of the last species. Fronds of this will often be seen 

 4 feet long, and spreading out from the centre every way. It 

 is somewhat brittle, or would otherwise form a noble exhibition 

 plant. 



MENISCIUM. 



A genus of Ferns remarkable for their regular veining. 

 So beautifully are those veins disposed, that they form nume- 

 rous regularly-disposed rectilinear parallelograms, and the 

 fructification is arranged in the form of a crescent: hence 

 its name, from meniskos, a crescent. Upon this character the 

 genus is founded. 



