CHEILANTHES. 



55 



colour. These fronds are tripinnate (three times divided to the midrib), and 

 their lower leaflets, 2in. to Sin. long and opposite, are divided into spear- 

 shaped pinnules (leafits) of a somewhat leathery texture, and cut down to the 

 rachis (stalk of the leafy portion) into numerous narrow-oblong segments, 

 around the edges of which the copious roundish sori (spore masses) are 

 regularly disposed. — Hooker, Species FiUcum, ii., p. 109, t. 94a. 



C. (Adiantopsis) radiata — Ad-i-ant-op'-sis ; rad-i-a'-ta (having rayed 

 leaflets), E. Brown. 

 "This pretty little, stove Fern (see Coloured Plate) was for a long time 

 considered a species of Adiantum, to which, by its general appearance, it 

 seems related much more than it does to any of the plants belonging to this 

 genus. It is a native of Tropical America, and has a very extensive range 

 of habitat, for it has been imported from Mexico, the West Indies, Jamaica, 

 St. Domingo, Martinique, Caraccas, and frequently from Brazil. In Mexico, 

 this interesting species is found growing in shady places in woods, from 

 the east coast to an elevation of 4,500ft. Its fronds are of a peculiar shape, 

 their pinna3 (leaflets), usually six to nine to each frond, all starting from a 

 common central point hke the spokes of a wheel, with a whorl of bract- 

 like segments at the axis ; they are borne at the extremity of strong, erect, 

 wiry stalks, 1ft. to IJft. long, and of a blackish, glossy, polished nature. 

 The longest of the leaflets are from 6in. to 9in. long, about lin. broad, 

 and furnished with numerous pinnules (leafits), about ^in. long, unequal- 

 sided, truncate at the base below, and auricled (eared) at the base above. 

 The small and very numerous sori (spore masses) are very conspicuously 

 placed along both margins of the entire pinnules, often crowded, and 

 always covered with a reniform (kidney-shaped) indusium of a bright brown 

 colour. — Hooker, Species Filicum, ii., p. 72, t. 91a. Nicholson, Dictionary 

 of Gardening, i., p. 308. Lowe, Ferns British and Exotic, iv., t. 14. 



C. (Physapteris) Regnelliana— Phy-sap'-ter-is ; Ileg-nel-li-a'-na(IlegnelL's), 

 Mettenius. 



A greenhouse species, of small dimensions, native of Brazil. Its fronds, 

 2in. to oin. long, rather more than lin. broad, and borne on erect, wiry, 

 polished stalks 2in. long and of a dark chestnut-brown colour, are spear- 



