NEPHEOLEPIS NIPHOBOLUS. 87 



West Indies, &c. Fronds from 3 to 6 feet high, and 2 or 

 3 inches broad, yellowish- green, pinnate, eared on the upper 

 side of the base. Stem and stalks clothed with brown scales. 

 Easily increased by division. 



N. HIESITTULA (The Small Hairy). An East-Indian species, 

 rather rare in gardens. Its once-divided fronds are about 

 2 feet in height, and stand almost upright. The stipes is 

 covered with hairs of a reddish-brown colour. 



"N. PECTINATA (Comb-shaped). A small-growing kind from 

 the warmer parts of America. It has just the same habit as 

 the other species, but upon a miniature scale. The fronds 

 are not more than a foot high, and about 1^ inch in 

 width. 



IS". SPLENDENS (Splendid). This, again, is one of the large- 

 growing sorts, and not much unlike N. davallioides, except 

 that the fertile pinnae are not toothed as in that species ; at 

 least not to so great an extent. The fronds attain the length 

 of 4 feet. 



N. TUBEBOSA (Tuberous-rooted). An East-Indian species, 

 producing little tubers among the roots about the size of 

 nuts. It is said that these tubers have been occasionally 

 collected and used as food by the natives. The fronds are 

 about a yard in length, and 4 inches in width. It dies down 

 in winter, and the pot must then be carefully placed on one 

 side and kept somewhat dry. 



There are a few other kinds to be met with in gardens 

 as N. acuta (sharp-pointed), N. ensifolia (sword- shaped), 

 IV. undulata (wavy) ; but those above mentioned are the most 

 distinct. 



NIPHOBOLUS. 



A very pretty, dwarf, useful genus of Ferns. The name 

 is derived from nipholus, covered with snow ; the fronds 

 being covered with white starry clusters of short hairs. We 

 have used these Ferns much to ornament rustic rockwork 



