TODEA. 



349 



moisture is absolutely necessary to their well-being, and this cannot be 

 obtained without a close atmosphere. No sun should ever be allowed to 

 shine on plants of the Leptopteris section, and the less they are disturbed 

 at the roots the better they fare : the hot, dry atmosphere of the 

 summer months is undoubtedly their greatest enemy. The soil in which 

 Todeas thrive best is a compost of peat and silver sand, to which a small 

 portion of partly-decomposed sphagnum may be added with advantage. 



Todeas are easily propagated from their spores, which are produced in 

 abundance and germinate readily when sown under favourable conditions ; 

 but they are of comparatively slow vegetation, and seedlings require a 

 longer time than most other Ferns to form young plants. 



Principal Species and Varieties. 



T. africana — af-ric-a'-na (African). Synonymous with T. barhara. 



T. arborea — ar-bor'-e-a (arborescent). A common garden name for 

 T. barhara. 



T. barbara — bar'-bar-a (Barbary), Moore. 



This highly decorative species, also known in gardens under the names of 

 T. africana, T. arborea, and T. rivularis, is a native of New Zealand, 

 Temperate Australia, Tasmania, Natal, and Cape 

 Colony. It is a robust-growing plant, forming 

 in time trunks of extraordinary thickness in 

 comparison to their height, and producing at the 

 same time great quantities of fronds 3ft. to 4ft. 

 long, often 1ft. broad, on stout, erect, quite naked 

 stalks, 1ft. or more in length. Their leaflets, 

 closely set, spreading, • 6in. to 9in. long, and 

 l^in. to 2in. broad, are furnished with close, 

 narrow leafits, the edges of which are more or 



less distinctly toothed, while the upper ones are distinctly connected at their 

 base. The fronds are of a leathery texture, dark green, shining, and naked 

 on both sides. The densely-set spore masses, when mature, fill up the 



f/g. 99. Barren and Fertile Pinnuies 



of Todea barbara 



(nat. size). 



