OSMUND A. 



37 



a natural state from Kamtscbatka to Java and Ceylon. The peculiar Ironds, 



which in general appearance greatly resemble those of a Lomaria, are 1ft. to 



3ft. long, Sin. to 12in. broad, and simply pinnate (only once divided to the 



midrib), being provided vrith leaflets distinctly barren or fertile. The barren 



ones, of a leathery texture, dark green 



colour, and glossy, are 4in. to Sin. long, 



^in. to fin. broad, wedge-shaped at the 



base, and often slightly stalked, their 



edge being either entire or sometimes 



sharply toothed. The fertile leaflets, 



which are usually disposed on each side 



of the rachis (stalk), and in the centre of 



the frond, are shorter, and made up of 



numerous close but distinct, oblong, 



sessile (stalkless) clusters. Fig. 12 is 



reduced from Col. Beddome's " Ferns of 



Southern India," by the kind permission 



of the author. — Hooker^ Icones Plan- 



tarum, t, 15. Nicholson, Dictionary of 



Gardening, ii., p. 530. 



O. lancea — lan'-ce-a (lance-like), 

 Thunberg. 

 This is a greenhouse species, of 

 small dimensions, native of Japan, and 

 with barren and fertile fronds totally 

 distinct. The barren ones, about Ift. 

 long, are oblong in shape and acuminate 

 (ending in a long, tapering point). 

 Their leaflets, about 5in. long and of a 

 somewhat leathery texture, are oblong, 

 acuminate, and short-stalked, the lowest 



being rather reduced; they are again divided into narrowly spear-shaped 

 leafits, Ifin. long, Jin. broad, narrowed at both ends, stalkless, and slightly 

 toothed upwards. The fertile fronds are ternato-decompound (divided into 



Fig. 12. Portion of Frond of Osmunda javanica 

 (J nat. size). 



