ACROSTICHUM 



tum, 9; flaocidum, 8; gorgoneum, 11; lomarioides, 18 

 muscosum, 3; nicotlansefolium, 16; osmundaoeum, 19 

 peltatum, 20; pUosum, 5; reticulatuiu, 10; scandens, 12 

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

 "viscosum, 4. 



A. Lvs. simple, less than B in. wide; veins free. 



{Elaphoglossiim.) 



jB. Surface of lvs. densely sealy throughout. 



c. Texture tJiiii, flaccid. 



1. viUdsum, Swz. Fig. 27. Sterile lvs. 6-9 in. long ; 

 fertile lvs. 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. muscdBum, Swz. Sterile lvs. 6-12 in. long, fertUe 

 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. vi3c6sum, 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. pildBum, HBK. Lvs. flexuous, 6-8 in. long, J^in. 

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

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

 terest. 



BBB. 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. confdrme, 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. il4ooidum, P(5e. Sterile lvs. 6-12 in. long, with very 

 a.cute point, the lower portion gradually narrowed to the 

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



— Of botanical interest only. 



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



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



[Hymjenodium.) 



9. crinitum, Linn. Elephant-ear Fekn. Lvs. 10-18 in. 

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

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

 S. crinitum. — Orati, sand in potting, and avoid over- 

 watering. 



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



10. reticulitum, Kaulf. Lvs. on distinct stems, witn 

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

 meshes. (Ohrysodium.) Hawaiianlslands. — Of botani- 

 cal interest only. 



11. grorgdneum, 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. sc&ndens, J. Smith. Eootstock widely climbing : 

 lvs. 1-3 ft. long, with pinnae 4-8 In. long ; fertile pinnse 

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

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

 much used in cooler houses of large ferneries. 



13. sorbiidlium, Linn. Eootstock climbing, of ten prick- 

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

 tile pinnse 2-4 in. long, narrow. (Lomariopsis .) B. and 

 W. Ind. to Braz. 



BB. Ferns with creeping rootstochs and scattered lvs. 



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



pinnate. 



14. oerrtnum, Swz. Pig. 28. Lvs. 2-4 ft. long, with 

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



ACEOSTICHUM 



21 



narrow, 4-8 in. 

 Braz. S. 1:192. 



long. (Olfersia.) Mex. and Cuba to 



00. Veins forming meshes everywhere. (Gymnopteris .) 

 1.5. ali^num, Swz. Sterile lvs. 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 pinnEe, the upper decurrent. Cuba and Mex. to 

 Braz. 



16. mcotiansefdlium, Swz. Sterile lvs. with 3-7 pinnae 

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

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

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



AcTostichum viUosutn 

 (X^). See No. 1. 



Acrostichutn cervinum 



(XX). See No. 14. 



BBB. Ferns of swampy places, growing in crowns from, 

 erect rootstochs. 



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

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

 coriaceous. Pla. 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. Pla. to Braz. 



A A A A. I/vs. hipinnatifid or bipinnate ; veins free. 

 [Polybotra.) 



19. osmundiceum, Hook. Eootstock wide, climbing, 

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

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

 stalked segments; fertUe lvs. tripinnate, with the lower 

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

 segments yi-% in. long. W. Ind. to Braz. —Probably 

 the handsomest of the climbing kinds. 



AAAAA. Lvs. palmate from creeping rootstocks: 

 plants small. 



20. pelt&tum, Swz. Lvs. 1-2 in. each way on slender 

 stems, repeatedly forked into very narrow divisions; 

 fertile lvs. Jf-K 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. 



