52 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



C. (Physapteris) myriophylla — Phy-sap'-ter-is ; my-ri-oph-yF-la (myriad- 

 leaved), Desvaux. 



This remarkably elegant species, popularly known as the " Lace Fern," 

 is undoubtedly one of the prettiest of the whole genus. It is usually 

 cultivated under the name of C. elegans, a name preferred by Mettenius, who 

 says that the specimens of C. elegans and of C. myriophylla, both of Desvaux, 

 are exactly alike. It certainly is the most extensively-grown species, and 

 succeeds well either in the greenhouse or in the stove, being a native of 

 Tropical America, especially on the west side, from Mexico southward to 

 Peru and Chili. Eaton, in his excellent work, states that "it is found 

 growing in crevices of rocks and on exposed rocks, mostly at elevations 

 varying between 3000ft. and 5000ft., from Western Texas, through New 

 Mexico, Arizona, and Nevada, to Cahfornia, extending southwards to Peru 

 and Chili." Its delicate -looking fronds, of a brittle nature, 4in. to 6in. long, 

 l|in. to 2in. broad, and borne on densely-tufted, wiry, erect stalks, Sin. to 

 Gin. long, thickly clothed with pale, woolly down, are somewhat spear-shaped 

 and tri- or quadripinnatiiid (three or four times divided half-way to the 

 midrib). The lower leaflets, about lin. long, ^in. broad, and broadly spear- 

 shaped, are cut down to the rachis (stalk of the leafy portion) on both sides 

 into numerous narrow-oblong leafits, which are again slightly branched at 

 the base, and further divided into very small, roundish, bead -like segments, the 

 margin of which is so much incurved as to make these organs appear pouch- 

 or pocket-shaped. The upper surface of the frond is of a bright pale green, 

 and slightly hairy, while the lower one is distinctly matted and scaly. The 

 abundant sori (spore masses) are disposed all round the margin of the 

 bead-like segments, and are slightly confluent. — Hooker, Species Filicum, 

 ii., p. 100, t. 105. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, i., p. 308. Eaton, 

 Ferns of North America, ii., t. 79. Lowe, Ferns British and Exotic, 

 iv., t. 20. 



Eaton says that the scaly-fronded species, of which this is one, and five 

 of which constitute the greatest part of the sub-genus Physapteris, may be 

 distinguished by the scales, which, in C. Fendleri, are entire or very sparingly 

 cihate (hairy) at the base. In C. myriophylla they are ciliate with com- 

 paratively few long and slender hairs, which are much more abundant in 

 C. Clevelandi, The scales in C, scariosa cover both surfaces, and are very 



