82 THE BOOK OF FERN CULTURE 



makes a fine decorative plant. In the markets it is often 

 called the Hare's-foot Fern, on account of the thick, 

 woolly rhizomes. P. glaucum is of more slender growth, 

 and has a beautiful blue, metallic shade to the fronds. 

 Mayi is a beautiful plumose variety of this. P. sporodo- 

 carpum is another distinct variety 5 in this the rhizomes 

 are almost destitute of the woolly scales, and the fronds 

 stand erect. P. nigrescens is very distinct ; the stipes 

 and rachis are almost black, and the spore cases are sunk, 

 the surface of the fronds having regular lines of nodes 

 on each pinnule of the fertile fronds. P. irioides has 

 long strap-shaped fronds of a thick leathery texture. 

 P. appendiculatum resembles our British species, except 

 that the fronds droop over and have a reddish, bronzy 

 shade. This is generally included under Goniophlebium, 

 and subauriculatum comes under the same sub-genus. 

 This has long, drooping fronds ; suspended in the 

 stove fernery, it will extend fully six feet. This should 

 be grown in a rough compost, and some peat may be 

 used. 



P. quercifolium is a curiously distinct species. The 

 barren, or basal fronds, are broad and only slightly 

 lobed, much after the shape of a large oak leaf, while the 

 fertile ones are long, and divided into narrow lobes 

 nearly down to the mid-rib. 



P. meyenianum (known generally as Aglaomorpha m.) 

 is a very distinct species, having a thick, brown, woolly 

 rhizome, broadly lobed fronds, of thick texture, the 

 fertile portion being on the terminal pinnules, which are 

 much contracted; it makes a fine basket fern. P. 

 Schneideri is a remarkable variety of garden origin, in a 

 young state the fronds have broad lobes only, but in 

 older plants they are large and much divided. It appears 

 to be related to the vulgare, and though it may be hardy 

 it succeeds best in a cool house, and leaf mould, peat, 

 loam, with plenty of sand, should be used for potting. 



