POLYPODIACEAE 51 



the apex; ultimate segments of the fertile fronds oblong, prominently 

 toothed, inequilateral, coriaceous, the veins prominent, irregular, oblique. 

 Sori 4 to 15 to a segment, marginal, shorter than the teeth; indusium 

 half -cup-shaped. 



Occasionally cultivated in hanging baskets; etc.; widely distributed in 

 the Philippines. Tropical Africa and Asia to Polynesia. 



4. ATHYRIUM Roth 



Terrestrial ferns with small to large, usually glabrous fronds. Root- 

 stock erect or creeping. Fronds usually clustered, simple, or pinnate to 

 tripinnate, the veins free or anastomosing, the stipes not jointed to the 

 rootstocks. Sori superficial, springing from the sides of the veins or 

 veinlets, single or double, usually^ elongated, the indusium opening on the 

 side away from the vein. 



Species more than 300 in the warmer parts of both hemispheres, 46 in 

 the Philippines. 



1. A. esculentum (Retz.) Copel. (Diplazium esculentum Sw.). Paco (Tag.). 



Rootstocks stout, the caudex erect,, woody, thickened, bearing many black, 

 wiry roots, the tip clothed with brown, linear scales. Stipes 20 to 50 

 cm long, smooth or nearly so, green. Fronds 2- or 3-pinnate, 50 to 80 

 cm long, ovate in outline; about one-half as wide; pinnules lanceolate, 

 acuminate, rather coarsely serrate, or serrate-crenate, 2 to 5 cm long, 

 sessile or very shortly stalked, base truncate, sometimes auricled on one 

 or both sides, glabrous, chartaceous, veins pinnate, extending from the 

 costa to the margin, sterile, their branches bearing sori, anastomosing in 

 pairs from neighboring veins. 



Occasional in gardens, Singalon; widely distributed in the Philippines 

 along streams, etc. India to Polynesia. 



5. ASPLENIUM Linnaeus 



Slender or coarse, terrestrial or epiphytic ferns with simple and entire 

 to pinnate or bipinnate and finely dissected fronds, the stipes not jointed 

 to the rootstock. Sori simple, usually linear and elongated, diagonal on 

 the lower surface of the frond, usually confined to the upper side- of the 

 veins. Indusium the shape Of the sorus, rarely continuous over the veins, 

 opening obliquely toward the costa, rarely • toward the margins. (Greek 

 "without" and "spleen," reference to supposed medicinal properties.) 



Species about 440, in all parts of the world, about 45 in the Philippines. 



Fronds siJnple ; epiphytes with large entire fronds growing in crowns. 



1. A. nidus 



Fronds pinnate; terrestrial tufted ferns, the pinnae lanceolate, long- 



atfumiriate, falcate 2. A. macrophyllum 



1. A. nidus L. Bird's Nest Fern. 



A large, coarse, epiphytic fern, the fronds entire, radiately arranged, 

 spreading or ascending, coriaceous, shining, narrowly to broadly lanceo- 

 late, acuminate, 40 to 120 cm long, 6 to 20 cm wide, base narrowed ; veins 

 very numerous, close. Sori numerous, linear, reaching from the midrib 

 ^bout half-way to the margins. (Fl. Filip. pi. 395.) 



