78 



THE ROOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



oblong-spear-shaped pinnules (leafits) of a dark livid green, paler beneath, 

 and minutely chafFy on the mid veins. The sori (spore masses), situated 

 close to the midvein, are covered by parchment-like involucres of a pale 

 or chestnut-brown colour, breaking into very irregular lobes. — Hooher^ Species 

 Filicum, i., p. 25. ■ 



C. Cumingii — Cu-ming'-i-i (Cuming's), Baker. 



A stove species, native of Coral and Pitcairn's Islands, with ample, 

 tripinnate fronds, borne on densely muricated (rough) stalks and furnished 

 with oblong-spear-shaped leaflets IJft. to 2ft. long ; the leaflets are sub- 

 divided into numerous sessile pinnules (stalkless leafits) of a firm and almost 

 leathery texture. The sori (spore masses), sometimes as many as twenty 

 to a segment, fill up the whole space between the midrib and the edge ; 

 they are covered by large, fragile involucres of a smooth nature. — Hooker, 

 Sy?iopsts FUicum, p. 453. 



C. Cunninghami — Cun'-ning-ham-i (Cunningham's), Hooker. 



This beautiful, greenhouse species, native of New Zealand, is somewhat 

 closely related to the better-known and justly popular C. medullaris. It is 

 not, however, such a robust grower, its trunk being generally only from 

 12ft. to 15ft. high. The fronds, of a somewhat leathery though flaccid 

 (soft) texture, withering on the trunk, are ample and tripinnate (three times 

 divided to the midrib) ; the leaflets, l^ft. to 2ft. long, are divided into 

 pinnules (leafits) which are only pinnatifid at their extremity, but in their 

 other parts are subdivided into linear, blunt lobes. Each of the lobes bears, 

 nearer the midvehi. than the margin, a sorus (spore mass) which is covered 

 by a roundish and very thin involucre, at first entire, but eventually breaking- 

 down very irregularly, and often leaving a large, spreading lobe or scale on 

 the under-side. — Hooker, Synojjsis Filicum, p. 25. Nicholson, Dictionary of 

 Gardening, i., p. 415. 



C. CUSpidata — cus-pid-a'-ta (pointed), Kunze. 



A stove species, having a great resemblance to C. arhorea, from which it 

 differs prmcipally through the nature of the involucres, which, instead of 

 having an even margin, burst very irregularly when mziXuv^.— Hooker, Species 

 Filicum, i., p. 19, t. 12a. 



