ACROSTICHUM 



ACROSTICHUM 



21 



turn, 9; flpccidum, 8; gorgoneum, 11 ; lomarioides, 18; 

 muscosum, 3; nicotiamt'i'oliuin. 1(5: osmundaceum, 19; 

 peltatum, 20; pilosum,5; reticulatum. 10; Bcaadens, 12; 

 simplex, 6; sorbifolium, 13; sqxiamosum, 2; villosum, 1; 

 viscosum, 4. 



A. Lvs. simple, lex* tJuin 2 in. tride; reins free. 



(Elaphogloxsum.) 



B. Surface of Ivs. densely scaly throughout, 

 c. Texture thin, flaccid. 



1. villdsum, Swz. Fig. 27. Sterile Ivs. 6-9 in. long; 

 fertile Ivs. scarcely more than half as large, both with 

 abundant slender, dark-brown scales. Mex. and W. Ind. 



Dwarf, variable. 



CC. Texture thick, leathery. 



2. squamdsum, Swz. Lvs. 6-12 in. long, the fertile 

 narrower, on longer stems ; both surfaces matted with 

 bright reddish brown linear or lanceolate scales. Tropics 

 of both hemispheres. 



3. muscdsum, Swz. Sterile Ivs. 6-12 in. long, fertile 

 much shorter ; upper surface slightly scaly, the lower 

 densely matted with ovate, rusty scales. Tropics of 

 both hemispheres. S. 1: 211. Very distinct in habit. 



BB. Surface of Ivs. slightly scaly. 



4. viscdsmn, Swz. Sterile Ivs. 6-12 in. long, narrowed 

 gradually at the base ; the fertile shorter, on longer 

 stems ; textxire leathery, the surfaces somewhat viscid. 

 Tropics of both hemispheres. 



."). pilosum, HBK. Lvs. flexuous, 6-8 in. long, %in. 

 wide, with tufts of star-like scales beneath; texture her- 

 baceous. Mex. to Columbia. Chiefly of botanical in- 

 terest. 



BBB. Surface of Irs. not scaly; texture leathery. 

 D. Margins of Ivs. thick, cartilaginous. 



6. simplex, Swz. Sterile Ivs. 4-12 in. long, with a very 

 acute point, the lower portion gradually narrowed into a 

 short, somewhat margined stem. W. Ind. to Brazil. 



7. conforme, Swz. Sterile Ivs. 2-9 in. long, with a 

 bluntish point and wedge-shaped or spatulate base ; fer- 

 tile Ivs. narrower. Tropics of both hemispheres. 



DD. Margins of leaves not thickened. 



8. flaccidum, Fee. Sterile Ivs. 6-12 in. long, with very 

 acute point, the lower portion gradually narrowed to the 

 short stem; fertile Ivs. on a stem 3-4 in. long. S. Amer. 



Of botanical interest only. 



AA. Lvs. simple; veins uniting to form a network. 



B. Surface of Ivs. densely clothed with narrow scales. 



(Hymenodium.) 



9. crinitum, Linn. ELEPHANT-EAR FERN. Lvs. 10-18 in. 

 long, 4-8 in. wide, on densely scaly stems ; fertile Ivs. 

 smaller, on shorter stems. W. Indies. F.S. 9:936, as 

 H. crinitum. Omit sand in potting, and avoid over- 

 watering. 



BB. Surface of Ivs. mostly smooth, 6-15 in. long. 



10. reticulatum, Kaulf. Lvs. on distinct stems, with 

 wedge-shaped bases, 1% in. wide; veins forming copious 

 meshes. (Chrysodium.) Hawaiian Islands. Of botani- 

 cal interest only. 



11. gorgoneum, Kaulf. Lvs. tapering gradually down- 

 ward to the short stem, 2-3 in. wide ; veins forming 

 meshes only near the margin. (Aconiopteris.) Hawaiian 

 Isl. Of little decorative value. 



AAA. Lvs. pinnate. 

 B. Ferns climbing with narrow, fertile pinnce. 



12. scandens, J. Smith. Rootstock widely climbing : 

 Ivs. 1-3 ft. long, with pinnae 4-8 in. long ; fertile pinnae 

 slender, 6-12 in. long; texture leathery. (Stenochlcena.) 

 India. S. 1: 224. A vigorous grower and coarse feeder, 

 much used in cooler houses of large ferneries. 



13. sorbifdlium, Linn. Rootstock climbing, often prick- 

 ly : Ivs. 12-18 in. long, 6-12 in.wide,with close veins; fer- 

 tile pinna? 2-4 in. long, narrow. (Lomariopsis.) E. and 

 W. Ind. to Braz. 



BB. Ferns icith creeping rootstocks and scattered Ivs. 



c. Veins united only near the margin; fertile Ivs. bi- 



pinnate. 



14. cervinum, Swz. Fig. 28. Lvs. 2-4 ft. long, with 

 pinncc 4-9 in. long, 1-2 in. wide; fertile pinnae slender, 



narrow, 4-8 in. long. (Olfersia.) Mex. and Cuba to 



Braz. S. 1 : 192. 



cc. reins forming meshes everywhere. (Gymnopteris.) 



15. alienum, Swz. Sterile Ivs. 1-2 ft. long, triangular, 

 with the upper pinnae decurrent, and the lower at least 

 sinuate or even incised ; fertile Ivs. smaller, with nar- 

 row pinnae, the upper decurrent. Cuba and Mex. to 

 Braz. 



16. nicotianaefdlium, Swz. Sterile Ivs. with 3-7 pinnae 

 which are 6-12 in. long and 2-3 in. wide, with nearly 

 entire edges; fertile Ivs. smaller, with 3-7 pinnae 3-4 in. 

 long, 1 in. wide. W. Ind. to Braz. 



27. Acrostichum villosum 

 (XK)- See No. 1. 



28. Acrostichum cervinum 

 (X%). See No. 14. 



BBB. Ferns of swampy places, growing in crowns from 

 erect rootstocks. 



17. aureum, Linn. Lvs. fertile only in the upper pinnae, 

 3-6 ft. long, with pinnae 6-10 in. long, short stalked, 

 coriaceous. Fla. to Braz. and in the tropics of the old 

 world. S. 1:187. -Strong-growing. One of the best. 

 Should be treated as an aquatic. 



18. lomarioides, Jenman. Sterile and fertile Ivs. dis- 

 tinct, the sterile shorter and spreading, the fertile taller 

 and more erect in the center of the cluster; pinnae 9-14 

 in. long, almost sessile. Fla. to Braz. 



AAAA. Lvs. bipinnatifid or bipinnate ; veins free. 

 (Polybotra.) 



19. osmundaceum, Hook. Rootstock wide, climbing, 

 with long, linear scales : sterile Ivs. 2-3 ft. long, the 

 lower pinnae 8-10 in. long, with numerous slightly 

 stalked segments; fertile Ivs. tripinnate, with the lower 

 pinnae 1-2 ft. long, 4-8 in. wide, with narrow, cylindric 

 segments K-/4 in. long. W. Ind. to Braz. Probably 

 the handsomest of the climbing kinds. 



AAAAA. Lvs. palmate from creeping rootstocks: 

 plants small. 



20. peltatum, Swz. Lvs. 1-2 in. each way on slender 

 stems, repeatedly forked into very narrow divisions; 

 fertile Ivs. %-*/>. in. wide, circular, or somewhat 2-lobed. 

 (Rhipidopteris. ) Mex. and W. Ind. to Braz. A delicate 

 and distinct plant, needing moisture all the year round, 



