NEPHROLEPIS 



NEPHROLEPIS 



2135 



BB. Length of /I's. about IS in. 



19. elegantissima, F. R. Pierson, 1904, from Picr- 

 sonii. Lvs. 18-20 in. long, (j-S in. broad, the pinna- ;i— 1 

 in. long, I'j-"- ill- broad, almost coniijlctcly divided 

 into elongate, acuminate pimuila^, tliesc 1 in. long, 

 J-iin. broad, entire or deeply pinnatitid into linear 

 scgms. The most commonly gro\«i of the 2-3-pinnate 

 varieties. It succeeds because of a. strong petiole and 

 finti If.-blade. The lvs. are often thick and dense, due 

 to the broad overlapping pinna^. A well-grown plant 

 shows a verj' thick mass of lvs. Elcgiiiitinfiima "im- 

 proved" is the stock gro\^^l at present and represents a 

 selected tyjie of eleganlissima which shows less rever- 

 sion than the original form. However, when not care- 

 f\illy grown, it will now show strong reversion to the 

 oncc-]iinnate Boston type. 



20. Whitmanii, Barrows, from Barroicsii. In general, 

 similar to elegantissima but the lvs. are more open, and 

 the segms. smaller, less elongate than those of the Pier- 

 son form. Whitmanii "unproved'' is similar but shows 

 less reversion. The differences in lvs. result in a less 

 dense habit of growth. Reversion is uncommon imder 

 good conditions. 



21. todeoides, Rochford (English). Like elegantis- 

 sima but with even more elongate pinnute. 



22. robusta, Craig, 1912, from elegantissima. Lvs. 

 2-2} 4 ft. long, 10-12 in. wide, erect, firm, 1-2-pinnate, 

 the pinna> 4-t} in. long, 1 ?'2-2 in. broad when 2-pinnate, 

 lobed at the base, narrower when not divided, the pin- 

 nula; full, entire or crenulate. For the first year or so 

 after its intro. this form showed httle reversion but 

 more recently it has begun to throw 1-pinnate lvs. It is 

 a larger more open form than elegantissima and conse- 

 quent!}' more hardy. From Piersonii it differs in being 

 broader-lvd. and more erect. 



BBB. Length of lvs. ahoui IS in. or less. 



23. Scholzelii, Scholzel, 1908, from Scotlii. Lvs. 1.5 

 in. long, 4-5 in. broad, erect, simply 2-pinnate, the 

 pinnse somewhat recurved as in Scottii, often revolute, 

 tlie pinnula; large, H-li in. long, entire or crenulate. 

 Under the name Scholzelii, there is also sold a 3-pin- 

 nate form which arose in 1909 at Scholzel's iilacc but 



27. Elmsfordii. Lvs. 12 in. long, 2-3-pinnate, with 

 wiry petioles and a spreading habit. A pretty httle 

 form but not well known. 



A.'i..^. Exaltata forms with lvs. regularly S-pinnatc or finer. 



28. magnifica, Fig. 2472, Barrows, from Whitmanii. 

 Lvs. erect, 15 in. long, 4-5 in. broad, 3-pinnate with 



2472. Nephrolepis magnifica. (X'a) 



which has never been given a separate name. Some of 

 these 3-pinnate plants are erect, some have sjireafling 

 lvs. Both belong in the next section with the 3-i)in- 

 nate. ^^ 



24. M. P. Mills, Harris, from Scotiii. A twice-iiin- 

 nate form with small distant segms., characterized by 

 extreme hardiness and by very frequent reversion to 

 the 1-pinnate tj^pe. The reverted plants do not appear 

 to be ordinan,' Scottii, but have straight pinna; and a 

 more open growth. Both are slow. 



25. elegantissima compacta, Fig. 247!, F. R. Pierson, 

 1909, from Piersonii. Lvs. about 12 in. long, erect, 

 dense, numerous. In cutting like elegantissima except 

 that it is often more divided and may be 3-pinnate. 



2fi. Whitmanii compacta, Barrows, from Whitmanii. 

 Lvs. 1.")-1S in. long, very full, nearly 3-pinnate. A beau- 

 tiful form, the lvs. posssibly a httle soft. 



2473. Nephrolepis muscosa 

 (XH; pinnaXJi) 



small ovate segms., H-H in- long- A free grower of 

 open habit, rather light green. More like the forms of 

 the preceding section. 



29. Smithii, J. C. Clark, from Amerpohlii. Lace- 

 Fern. Lvs. 3-pinnate, 8-12 in. long, (K8 in. broad, 

 divided into very small, close segms. rjin. long. The 

 piima> are crowded so that the lvs. become very dense 

 and are thus hable to injury by careless watering. There 

 are a number of named varieties of the same general 

 ty]3e but differing in growth characteristics. Smithii 

 seems to be the most generally used. Others are as 

 follows: Amerpohlii, Amerpohl; gracfllima, Barrowsii, 

 from magnijiea; Clirkii, Smith, from Smithii, Milleri, 

 Miller; Neubertu (German); Rochfordii (English); 

 Craigii, Craig, from Smithii, is 4-pinnate, with Hnear 

 segms., but too soft to be of commercial value. 



30. superbissima, Pierson, 1908, froin elegantissima. 

 Lvs. mainly spreading, the pinna; closely imbricated and 

 irregularly twisted, firm, dark green, long-pointed, 

 10-15 in. long, .3-5 in. broad. A very interesting type, 

 though not widely grown owing to its oddity and slow- 

 ness.. A single If. may be very finn and dense. Throws 

 buds' with 1-pinnate lvs. frequently and these selected 



and growTQ constitute tlie var. mridissima. 



31. muscosa, Fig. 2473, Pierson, 1911, from 

 superbissima. Practically dwarf superbissima, but 

 makes more symmetrical plants and shows fewer 

 reverting lvs." Lvs. 6-8 in. long, 4-5 in. broad, 

 spreading, very firm and dense with the pinnae 

 and segms. closely imbricated. Like superbissima 



• ;'i^ it is not widely growii. It is slow, and is also 

 liable to hijui-y from water, the lower pinnse of 

 the lvs. falling off. 



32. lycopodioides, Rochford. Finely divided, 

 irregularly twisted. Apparently like preceding 

 but more finely cut. Probably not yet grown in 

 the U. S. 



Additional distinct types not commonly grown in 

 Amer. and which are probably not derived from 

 exalt at a are: 



33. superba. May. Lvs. 20-25 in. long, 4-5 in. broad, 

 the i)inna- deeply "laciniately lobed, with the apices 

 forked and crested, more or less recurved. A single 

 If. simulates well an ostrich phnne. 



34. canaliculata. May. Ha.s involute lvs. with the 

 tips of the pinna- laciniate and crested. 



35. Wittboldii, (F.R. 5:247) is described as having 

 lvs. 3 times as broad as the tj^pical bostoniensis. 



Other forms which do not appear to bo in the .American trade to 

 any extent are: N. Bdtctietori, crispato-coilsjesta (E). Drii/rri. rdmnn,- 

 loiiienae (E), Faitlkneri (E). Fdsleri (K), grdndiceps (E), Ilfstunii 

 (E), Mdrsliallii, MdrstialUi mmpdcta, MayHE), ortiAtn (E), phillip- 

 inensia, recurm (E), rwf/'Vw (E), serruldla, splendens E), tripiU' 

 nati/ida, wanhinytoniensis, Wi'Htvnii (E), WiMei, Wfllmoiie. 



R. C. Benedict. 



