32 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



Principal Species and Varieties. 



C. alabamensis — al-ab-a-men'-sis (from Alabama), Kunze. 



The remarkably pretty plant usually grown imder this name, and 

 extensively known in ISTorth America as the " Alabama Lip Fern," is PeUcp,a 

 alabamensis of Baker, under which name it will be found described. — 

 Hooker^ Synopsis Filicum, p. 148. 



C. (Eucheilanthes) allosoroides— Eu-cheil-anth'-es ; all-os-o-ro-i'-des 

 (AUosorus-like), Mettenius. 

 A very pretty, greenhouse species, native of Mexico, somewhat similar in 

 habit to the commoner C. Sieheri., but less rigid and with the involucres (spore 

 coverings) more confluent. Its fronds, 4in. to Gin. long, about 2in. broad, 

 somewhat spear-head-shaped, and bipinnatifid (twice divided nearly to the 

 midrib), are borne on erect, wiry stalks 2in. to 3in. long, densely scaly at the 

 base, and of a bright chestnut-brown colour. The pinnas, also spear-shaped, 

 are cut down to the racliis (stalk of the leafy portion) into several sharp pinnules 

 (lealits), which are cuneate (wedge-shaped) at the base and slightly lobed 

 below ; these are of a sub -coriaceous (somewhat leathery) texture, and the 

 involucres, narrow and of a greenish colour, are nearly continuous. — Hooker^ 

 Synopsis Filicum, p. 137. 



C. (Eucheilanthes) arabica — Eu-cheil-anth'-es ; ar-ab'-ic-a (from Arabia), 

 Decaisne. 



A gTeenhouse species, of dwarf dimensions, also known as C. coriacea, 

 native of Arabia and Abyssinia, with fronds only 2m.. to Sin. long, bi- or 

 tripinnatifid (twice or thrice cut partly to the midrib), borne on wiry, 

 erect stalks lin. to 3in. long, of a dark chestnut-brown colour and woolly 

 nature. The leaflets, usually opposite, of a somewhat leathery texture and 

 about ^m. long, are cut about half-way down to the midrib into numerous 

 Unear-oblong segments, or again slightly branched at the base. The very 

 abundant sori (spore masses) are covered by an involucre that is more 

 continuous than is the case in C. fragrans., described further on. — Hooker, 

 Species Filicum, ii., p. 109. 



