56 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



shaped and bipinnate (twice cut down to the midrib). The numerous pinnse 

 (leaflets), of a somewhat leathery texture, are closely set, spreading at right 

 angles from the rachis (stalk of the leafy portion), and furnished on each 

 side with eight to ten small, bead-like, sessile pinnules (stalkless leafits), 

 which are hardly more than half-a-Hne each way, and rolled up Kke a ball. 

 The spore masses are completely hidden. — Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, p. 138. 



C. (Adiantopsis) regularis — Ad-i-ant-op'-sis ; reg-ul-a'-ris (regular), 

 Mettenius. 



A greenhouse, Brazihan species, with fronds 6in, to Sin. long, borne on 

 stalks of the same length, densely clothed with rusty-brown hairs. The 



pinna? (leaflets) are divided into distinctly -stalked 

 pinnules (leafits), wedge-shaped at the base below, 

 truncate or auricled (eared) above, and slightly 

 notched. The abundant roundish sori (spore 

 masses) are disposed at intervals round the edge 

 of the pinnules. — Hooher,^ Synopsis Filicum, 

 p. 131. 



C. (Aleuritopteris) rufa — Al-eu-ri-top'- 



ter-is ; ru'-fa (reddish), Desvaux. 



This handsome and distinct, stove species, of 



medium growth, is the only tomentose (woolly) 



plant known belonging to the group Aleuritopteris. 



It is a native of North Hindostan, where it 



is found growing up to 4000ft. elevation, and 



Beddome gives Burmah, Nepaul, Mishmee Mergui, 



Khasya, and Simla, as localities where it has 



also been collected. Its fronds, 6in. to 9in. long 



^, „, ., ^ and 2in. to 3in. broad, are borne on stifl', upright 



Fi^. 11. Cheilanthes rufa ' ^ • 5 r & 



nat. size), stalks, densely clothed with short hairs of a 



woolly nature and of a rusty-brown colour. The 

 leaflets, which are opposite, are oblong in shape, and their pinnules or 

 subdivisions are largest on the lower side, where they are frequently Jin. 

 long. The texture is soft and papery ; the upper surface is covered with short. 



