LOPHODIUM CALLIPTEEIS. 



173 



n 



\) 



stipes of each frond, instead of decaying with the frond, retains 

 its sap and vigour for many years, and in time assumes so 

 nearly the appearance of the caudex itself, that it is difficult to 

 distinguish hetween the two. The figure in the margin below, 

 although certainly not very ornamen- 

 tal, gives a correct idea of a longitu- 

 dinal section of a portion of caudex. It 

 is drawn of the natural size, and con- 

 stitutes but a small portion of the plant 

 from which it was taken : the median 

 white space represents the caudex it- 

 self, and the shorter ascending white 

 spaces on either side represent the still 

 vigorous bases of old stipes, with the 

 exception of a small branch of caudex 

 near the bottom of the figure, on the 

 right hand side. In the specimen se- 

 lected for illustration, the interstices 

 between the bases of the stipes, repre- 

 sented by the darker portion of the 

 figure, were filled with matted roots | ^ ^''B) 

 and turfy soil ; on removing this, I 

 found every part of the surface of the 

 caudex, as well as the bases of the 

 stipes, covered with rudely semilunar 

 markings, which seemed to indicate 

 the former points of attachment for 

 those chaffy scales with which the 

 crown of the caudex, as well as the 

 stipes, of almost every species of Lo- 

 phodium appear to abound. 



The fronds are but few in each tuft, 

 and rise from the crown of each grow- 

 ing branch of the caudex ; they appear 

 in May, and remain green until near 

 the end of the year. The form of the 

 young unexpanded frond somewhat re- 

 sembles that of Lastrea montana ; the 

 general character is circinate, but the pinnee are perfectly flat, 

 the lower pair being incumbent on the second, the second on 



V 



