OSMUNDA. 



41 



with bipinnate (twice-divided) fronds about 1ft. long, borne on slender stalks 

 of the same length ; they are furnished with numerous and distantly-placed 

 leaflets, each of which has from six to eight pairs of leafits and a larger 

 terminal one, all' being short- stalked and of a pale green colour. For Fig. 14 

 we are indebted to Messrs. W. and J. Birkenhead. — Lowe^ Ferns British and 

 Exotic, viii., t. 4. 



O. r. japonica — ^jap-on'-ic-a (Japanese), Thunberg. 



In this curious, greenhouse variety, which is found in Japan and on the 

 Himalayas, the barren and fertile fronds are often quite distinct, the latter 

 being developed first and soon 

 disappearing. It also occasion- 

 ally happens that some of the 

 lateral leaflets become fertile, 

 whilst the terminal ones remain 

 barren. — Hooker, Synopsis Fili- 

 cum, p. 427. 



O. r. j. corymtaifera — 



cor-ymb-if -er-a (corymb- 

 bearing), Moore. 

 This very distinct and 

 beautiful, Japanese Fern, of 

 dwarf habit, is unquestionably 

 the best Osmunda for decora- 

 tive purposes, and especially for 

 pot culture, yet introduced (see 

 Plate, for which we are indebted 



to Messrs. W. and J. Birkenhead). Its fronds are crowded ; their stalks, quite 

 smooth, slender, and of a bright rosy-pink colour, rise to a height of about 4in., 

 and support fronds of triangular outline that bend away almost horizontally from 

 the common centre in all directions. In young plants each rachis or midrib 

 usually carries two pairs of opposite leaflets and a terminal one ; each of the 

 lower leaflets has a short footstalk, and a spear-shaped or nearly oblong blade, 

 which has two rather larger lobes at the base and is cut at the summit into 



Fi^. 14. Osmunda regalis gracilis 



(much reduced). 



