PTERIS. 273 



permission of the author). Their texture is leathery, they are naked on both 

 surfaces, and the involucre covering the spore masses is of a brownish colour. 

 — Hooker, Species Filicum, ii., p. 163, t. 127a. 



P. ©. Yariegata — var-i-eg-a'-ta (variegated). This is an older name 

 for P. e. Victorice. 



P. e. Yictoriae — Vic-to'-ri-te (Victoria's), W. Bull. 



This variety, which is exactly the same plant as P. e. variegata of Mgore, 

 previously introduced, is a remarkably slender and graceful form, producing 

 two entirely distinct sorts of fronds, the barren ones being small and prostrate, 

 while the fertile ones, upright and abundant, are IJft. to IJffc. long, 

 composed of narrow leaflets about Jin. broad, and beautifully variegated 

 throughout. 



Although this elegant Fern reproduces itself very freely from spores, some 

 of the seedlings are thoroughly distinct. Among these we may particularly 

 note regince, which has the variegation running in narrow stripes to the 

 margins of the leaflets, and is of more vigorous growth than Victorice ; and 

 cristata, a form with very prettily and regularly crested fronds, which are 

 also beautifully and distinctly variegated. 



P. esculenta — es-cul-en'-ta (edible). A variety of P. aquilina. 



P. excelsa — ex-cel'-sa (high), Gaudichaud. 



This stove species, which greatly resembles P. quadriaurita, but is much 

 larger, is a native of the Philippine and Sandwich Islands ; it is also said to 

 occur in the Himalayas up to 8000ft. elevation. — Hooker, Species Filicum, ii., 

 p. 183, t. 136. Beddome, Ferns of British India, t. 218. 



P. fallax — fal'-lax (deceptive). Synonymous with Pellcea intramarginalis 

 serratifolia. 



P. felosma — fel-os'-ma (heavy-smelling). A form of P. quadriaurita. 



P. flabellata— fla-bel-la'-ta (fan-shaped), Thunherg. 



A greenhouse species, found in Cape Colony, and northward to Bourbon, 

 Abyssinia, and Fernando Po. It is closely related to P. arguta. Its fronds, 

 1ft. to 3ft. long and 1ft. or more in breadth, are borne on strong, upright 



VOL. III. "^ 



