CHEILANTHES. 



41 



of a dark chestnut-brown colour, and clothed with narrow scales when young ; 

 they are usually spear-shaped, sometimes deltoid (in shape of the Greek 

 delta. A), and bi- or tripinnatiiid (twice or three times divided half-way to 

 the midrib) ; the leaflets, of a somewhat leathery texture, are disposed in 

 opposite pairs, the lowest ones often much the largest, with the lowest pinnules 

 (leafits) longer than the others and deeply pinnatifid, most of the others having 

 a broad, entire central space. In mature fronds the under-surface is densely 

 covered with pure white powder ; their upper surface is of a dull green, 

 shghtly -speckled with white. The small, brown sori (spore masses) are j)laced 

 in a continuous Hne along the edges, their indusia (coverings) extending 

 throughout every fertile segment of the frond. C. dealbata is another 

 name for this species. — Hooker, Species Filicum, ii., p. 77. Nicholson, 

 Dictionary of Gardening, i., p. 308. Loice, Ferns British and Exotic, iv., 

 t. 13. Beddome, Ferns of Southern India, t, 191. 



C. (Physapteris) Fendleri — Phy-sap'-ter-is ; Fend'-ler-i (Fendler's), 

 Hooker. 



This pretty, greenhouse species, closely allied to C. myriophylla, is a native 

 of North America, its habitat extending from the Rocky Mountains southward 

 to California and New Mexico : Fournier even says that it occurs in the Valley 

 of Mexico and in Columbia. Its delicate little fronds, 3in. to 4in. long, lin. 

 to IJin. broad, are produced from a slender, creeping rootstock, and are 

 borne on wiry, chestnut-brown stalks 2in. to 4in. long and shghtly scaly ; 

 they are spear-shaped and tripinnatiiid (thrice divided nearly to the midrib), 

 the leaflets, about -|in. long, being cut down to the rachis (stalk of the 

 leafy portion) into numerous nearly sessile (almost stalkless) segments of 

 a beaded nature, small, oblong, generally entire, but occasionally three-lobed, 

 especially the terminal ones or those of the barren fronds. The upper surface 

 is quite naked, and the under -side, though naturally scaly, is not matted. 

 The copious sori (spore masses) are disposed along the margins of the 

 segments. — Hooker, Species Filicum, ii., p. 103, t. 107b. Nicholson, Dictionary 

 of Gardening, i., p. 308. Eaton, Ferns of North America, ii., t. 79. 



C. ferruginea — fer-ru-gin'-e-a (rusty). The plant grown in gardens under 

 this name is identical with Nothochlwna ferruginea of Hooker. 



