110 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



6in. long and IJin. broad, terminating in a sharp point (Fig. 23), sometimes 

 entire and sometimes slightly toothed, and wedge-shaped or slightly rounded 

 at the base. The fertile leaflets are of similar shape to the barren ones, but 

 are narrower and more distinctly stalked. — Hooher and Greville, Icones 

 Filicum, t. 51. 



D. nodosa — no-do'-sa (knotted). Smith. 



The barren fronds of this sj)ecies, whose habitat extends from Cuba and 

 Mexico to Brazil, and which is undoubtedly the most gigantic -growing kind 

 known, are borne on short, strong, erect, knotted stalks ; they are from 3ft. 

 to 4ft. long, l^ft. to 2ft. broad, and furnished with from ten to fifteen pairs 

 of leaflets of a somewhat leathery texture. The upper leaflets are stalkless, 

 the lower ones short- stalked, and all are of about the same size, 6in. to 12in. 

 long and lin. to 2in. broad, terminating in a sharp point, and either wedge- 

 shaped or slightly rounded at their base. The fertile leaflets are shorter and 

 much contracted, being only 4in. to Gin. long and fin. broad. — Hooker and 

 Greville, Icones Filicum, t. 51. Hooker, Synojysis Filicum, p. 444. 



D. simplicifolia — sim-plic-if-ol'-i-a (having undivided fronds), Rudge. 



This species, native of Guiana and IN'orth Brazil, is the only one known 

 having simple (undivided) fronds. When barren, these fronds are from Gin. 

 to 12in. long and 2in. to 4in. broad, and are borne on stalks 2in. to 12in. 

 long, showing two nodes (knots), and slightly scaly below ; they are of 

 a somewhat leathery texture, egg-shaped or oblong, their summit terminating 

 in a sharp point, their edge entire, and their base either wedge-shaped or 

 rounded. When fertile, the fronds are of similar shape, but smaller in all 

 their parts, and borne on longer stems. — Hooher, Synopsis Filicum, p. 442. 



As an example of the prolific character of these Ferns, we have it on the 

 authority of the " Synopsis Filicum " that on a specimen of D. simplicifolia 

 that is only partially fertile there are about 100 capsules in the central 

 synangia (row of united spore masses), and 30,000 to an entire frond. 



D. Wendlandii — Wend-land'-i-i (Wendland's), Reichenhach. 



A close, compact-growing species, of dwarf habit, native of Costa Rica, 

 with barren fronds oblong- spear- shaped, and borne on short stalks which, like 



