CHEILANTHES. 



61 



lowest side and cut down to the rachis (stalk of the leafy portion) into 

 oblong, entire or pinnatifid segments. The texture is somewhat leathery, and 

 both surfaces are light green and naked. The circular and eventually 

 confluent sori (spore masses) are covered by narrow, brownish involucres, 

 which are more or less toothed. — Hooker^ Species Filicum, ii., p. 82, t. 87c. 

 Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, i., p. 308. Lowe, Ferns British and 

 Exotic, iv,, t. 19. Beddome, Ferns of Southern India, t. 188. 



C. (Eucheilanthes) tenuis — Eu-cheil-anth'-es ; ten'-ii-is (slender), Presl. 



A pretty little, stove species, native of Mexico, with fronds averaging 

 about 1ft. in length, including the stalk, which is produced from a creeping 

 rhizome (prostrate stem) ; they are somewhat spear-shaped and tripinnate 

 (three times divided to the midrib). The leaflets, oblong in shape, are 

 divided again into minute and somewhat circular segments with a wedge- 

 shaped base, dented, reflexed, and concave ; they are covered on both sides 

 with a woolly substance of a rusty-brown colour. The sori (spore masses) 

 are disposed in a single row and are in some degree hidden in the axis of 

 the reflexed margin of each segment, where they are covered by a narrow 

 and continuous indusium. — Lowe, Ferns British and Exotic, iv., t. 23. 



C. (Physapteris) tomentosa— Phy-sap'-ter-is ; to-men-to'-sa (downy). 

 Link. 



This delicate, greenhouse species, which is also known as C. Bradhurii, 

 is very AvooUy in appearance and diiFers considerably from most other 

 known species. It is essentially a native of North America, where it is known 

 as the "Webby Lip Fern." Eaton, in his "Ferns of North America," says : 

 "It is decidedly the largest plant among all our North American species 

 of Cheilanthes, some of the tallest specimens measuring nearly 2ft. in total 

 length. It is found growing in dense masses on sandstone rocks along 

 the French Broad River, in North Carohna and Eastern Tennessee, in 

 Missouri and Texas." Under cultivation, its fronds, usually 6in. to 12in. 

 long and 2in. to Sin. broad, are borne on strong, erect stalks 4in. to 6in. 

 long, densely matted with pale brown, woolly down ; they are oblong-spear- 

 shaped and tripinnatifid (three times divided half-way to the midrib). The 

 leaflets, lin. to l^in. long and fin. broad, are -opposite, and divided into 



