58 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



P. (Platyloma) falcata — Plat-yl-o'-ma ; fal-ca'-ta (sickle-shaped), Fee. 



This decorative, greenhouse species has a very extensive range of habitat, 

 being found in Tropical Hindostan, the Malayan Peninsula, Australia, New 

 Zealand, Tasmania, the Kermadec Islands, &c. According to Lowe, it was 

 introduced into the Royal Gardens, Kew, by Allan Cunningham, as far back 

 as 1823. The fronds, produced from a wide-creeping, slender, underground 

 rhizome, and borne on strong, erect stalks Sin. to Gin. long, more or less 

 hairy and scaly, are oblong-spear-shaped, Gin. to 18in. long, lin. to 2in. broad, 

 and only once divided to the midrib (Fig. 21). They are formed of 

 twelve to thirty or more pairs of stalkless or nearly stalkless leaflets |in. to lin. 

 long and Jin. to Jin. broad, and usually a larger terminal one ; all are spear- 

 shaped or oblong-spear-shaped, usually terminating in a sharp point, and often 

 slightly sickle-shaped, wedge-shaped, enlarged, or heart-shaped at the base ; 



fig. 2U frond of Pelleea falcata 



(J nat. size). 



their texture is leathery, and their colour a dark, dull green above, paler 

 beneath. The sori (spore masses) are disposed in a continuous, broad, marginal 

 line extending from the base to nearly the summit of each fertile leaflet, and 

 soon hide their narrow involucre. — Hooker, Species Filicum, ii., p. 136, t. 11b. 

 Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, iii., p. 66. Lowe, Ferns British and 

 Exotic, iii., t. 30b, 



P. (AUosorus) flaYescenS— All-os-o'-rus ; fla-ves'-cens (yellowish). Fee. 



A strong-growing, stove species, native of Rio Janeiro, where it was 

 gathered by Bongard and by Glaziou. It has little in common with its 

 specific name, for its oblong or broadly spear-shaped fronds, 6in. to 12in. 

 long, dull green and naked on both surfaces, and borne on naked, black stalks 

 Gin. to 12in. long, are produced from a short-creeping rhizome clothed with 

 dark brown scales. They are twice or three times pinnate ; their leaflets are 

 spear-shaped and short- stalked, the lowest, which are the longest, being again 



