ACROSTICHUM 



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

 muscosum, 3; nicotiansBfolium, 16; osraundaceum, 19; 

 peltatum, 20; pilosum, 5; reticulatum, 10; scandens, 12; 

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

 Tiscosum, 4. 



A. Iivs. simple, less than 2 in. wide; veins free. 



( Elaphoglossum. ) 



B. Surface of Ivs. densely scahj throughout. 



0. Texture thin, flaccid. 



1. vaWsuin, 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. Teiture thick, leathery. 



2. sqaambstun, 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. nmacdsvun, Swz. Sterile lvs. 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 lvs. slightly scaly. 



4. viscdaum, Swz. Sterile lvs. 6-12 in. long, narrowed 

 gradually at the base ; the fertile shorter, on longer 

 stems ; texture leathery, the surfaces somewhat viscid. 

 Tropics of both hemispheres. 



5. pildsum, 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. 



BBS. Surface of lvs. not scaly; texture leathery. 

 D. Margins of lvs. thick, cartilaginous. 



6. simplex, Swz. Sterile lvs. 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. confirme, Swz. Sterile lvs. 2-9 in. long, with a 

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

 tile lvs. narrower. Tropics of both hemispheres. 



DD. Margins of leaves not thickened. 



8. fl4coidum, F^e. Sterile lvs. 6-12 in. long, with very 

 acute point, the lower portion gradually narrowed to the 

 short stem; fertile lvs. on astern 3-4 in. long. S.Amer. 



— Of botanical interest only. 



AA. 2yVS. simple; veins uniting to form a network. 



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



(Hymenodium.) 



9. crinltum, Linn. Elephant-ear Fern. Lvs. 10-18 in. 

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

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

 H. crinitnm. — OrDit sand in potting, and avoid over- 

 watering. 



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



10. reticul&tum, Kaulf. Lvs. on distinct stems, witn 

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

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

 cal interest only. 



11. gorgdneum, 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 pinnw. 



12. acAndens, J. Smith. Eootstock widely climbing : 

 lvs. 1-3 ft. l<ing, with pinnaa 4-8 in. long ; fertile pinnae 

 slender, (i-12 in. long; texture leathery. {Stenochlcfna.) 

 India. S. 1 : l^LM. — A vii^orous grower and coarse feeder, 

 much usfil ill .■.).,Iir limisfs of large ferneries. 



13. sorbiiolium, LiniL. Rootstoek climbing, often prick- 

 ly: lvs. 12-lS in. long, ti-12 in.wide,with close veins; fer- 

 tile pinnse 2-1 in. long, narrow. (Lomariopsis.) E.and 

 W. Ind. to Braz. 



BB. Ferns with creeping rootstocks and scattered lvs. 

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



3raz. S. 



ACROSTICHUM 



4-8 in. long. (Olfersia.) Me 



21 



Cuba to 



:192. 



cc. Veins forming meshes everywhere. {Gymnopteris.) 

 la. alifinum, Swz. Sterile lv.s. 1-2 ft. long, triangular, 

 with the upper pinnse decurrent, and the lower at least 

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

 row pinn^, the upper decurrent. Cuba and Mex. to 



16. nicotianeefdliom, Swz. Sterile lvs. with 3-7 pinnse 

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

 entire edges; fertile lvs. smaller, with 3-7 pinnte 3-4 in. 

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



1 crowns from 



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

 3-6 ft. long, with pinnse 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 lvs. 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. 

 {Potybotra.) 



19. oamund^ceum. Hook. Rootstoek wide, climbing, 

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

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

 stalked segments; fertile lvs. tripinnate, with the lower 

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

 segments '^-% 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 lvs. H-% in. wide, circular, or somewhat 2-lobed. 

 {Bhipidopteris.) Mex. and W. Ind. to Braz.— A delicate 

 and distinct plant, needing moisture all the year round. 



