20 PTERIS ASPERTCAL'I.IS, VATl. TRICOI.OK. 



Fronds pinnate, the basal pinna; posterially branched and 

 the pinna; pinnatifid. The upper portion of the segments is of 

 a vivid dark green, the basal portion being silvery grey, whilst 

 the rachis or rib is of a bright purplish colour, thus each pinna 

 has a wide silvery stripe down its centre, in the centre of which 

 is a well-marked red line. The young fronds are entirely red, 

 and the veins and hairy scales are also red. 



In the form and habit of this plant, it resembles Pteris as- 

 pericaulis so closely as to convince botanists that it is a variegated 

 form of that Fern. Pinnte ojDposite, usually four pairs and an 

 ultimate larger one; pinnules opposite and approximate, with a 

 very large ultimate one, which is attenuated, the others being 

 rounded at the apex. 



Length of frond two feet. 



From the young fronds being purplish red or bright rose, 

 afterwards changing to a red brown, and then to green, there is 

 a diversity of colours in the fronds at the same time on each 

 plant, which adds considerably to its beauty. 



^'eins very prominent and forked. 



Sir W. J. Hooker considers the P. tricolor a variegated variety 

 of P. quadriaurita, and ]Mr. Thomas Moore, a variety of P. 

 aspericaulis. 



For fronds my thanks are due to Mi'. Edwin Cooling, of the 

 Mile-ash Nursery, Derby. 



It may be procured from ^Messrs. "^'eitch, of Chelsea; Rollisson, 

 of Tooting; or Cooling, of Derby; at the price of two guineas. 



The illustration is from ]\Ir. Cooling's fronds. 



