4 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



on erect stalks 4in. to Gin. long and are furnislied with numerous pinnaa 

 (leaflets). The barren pinnaj are l^in. long and Jin. broad, narrowed to a sharp 

 point, cordate or auricled (heart-shaped or eared) at the base, especiall}/ on the 

 upper side, the lower ones dwindling into mere auricles ; the fertile pinnae are 

 narrower : all are of a rigid and coriaceous (leathery) texture. The sori (spore 

 masses), which sometimes reach the edge, are disposed in a continuous or 

 slightly -interrupted line not quite close to the midrib. — Hooker^ Species 

 Filicum, iii., p. 57. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, i., p. 193. 



B. boreale — bor-e-a'-le (Northern). Synonymous with Lomaria Sjncant. 



Fig. 7, Blechnum brasi/iense 

 (much reduced). 



B. (Eublechnum) brasiliense — Eu-blech'-num ; bras-il-i-en'-se (native 

 of Brazil), Desvauiv. 

 This very handsome and popular, greenhouse or stove species, native of 

 Brazil and Peru, is undoubtedly the strongest-growing plant of the genus, 

 and also the most useful as a decorative Fern (Fig. 1). Its stem, which 

 attains an average height of oft., is of rather slender dimensions in proportion 

 to its height, and is densely clothed at the crown with dark brown scales. 



