136 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



species, being equally vigorous, but of a mucli more elegant, spreading babit. 

 Its beautiful fronds, of a peculiarly soft %bt green colour, are produced in 

 profusion from very short, creeping rhizomes (prostrate stems) having all the 

 appearance of numerous crowns crowded together ; they are borne on stout 

 yet flexible stalks, and attain fully 6ft. in length. These fronds not only 

 differ from those of all other known species in having their extremity heavily 

 tasselled, but even their leaflets are freely branched and subdivided near the 

 summit, and the natural weight of these crests and tassels, and the much- 

 divided pinnae and pinnules, give the whole plant a very attractive appearance 

 by producing a gradual and graceful curve of the %\£^^.—NkMson, Dictionary 

 of Gardening^ iv., p. 531. 



D. li. cristata is one of the strong-growing Davalhas which should for 

 preference be grown in fibrous peat and sand only ; it is also one of those 

 which suffer most from insufficiency of water at the roots at any time of the 

 year. The whole plant is slightly hairy, and on that account should never 

 be watered overhead. Another pecuharity of this truly noble form is that, 

 although plants 10ft. to 12ft. through are frequently seen in horticultural 

 shows, it very seldom produces fertile fronds, so that it is generally increased 

 by the division of the crowns, an operation attended with the greatest success 

 when performed in the early part of the year. 



D. Hookeri— Hook'-er-i (Hooker's). Synonymous with D. Clarkei. 



D. (Microlepia) Hookeriana— Mi-crol-ep'-i-a ; Hook -er-i-a'-na (Hooker's), 

 Wallich. 



A stove species, of medium growth, native of Sylhet and the Khasya 

 Hills, also of Assam and Hong-Kong. Its fronds, Ift. to lift, long and 

 6in. to Sin. broad, are produced from a hairy, creeping rhizome (prostrate 

 stem), and borne on stout, upright stalks 4in. to 6in. long. They are simply 

 pinnate (only once divided to the midrib), and their largest leaflets, 4in. long 

 and lin. broad, are auricled (eared) at the base above, slightly undulated 

 below, and toothed towards their extremity ; the texture is somewhat leathery. 

 The sori (spore masses) are disposed in continuous rows along the edges of 

 the leaflets, and are covered by small involucres about as broad as deep. — 

 Hooker, Species Filicum, i., p. 172, t. 47b. Beddome, Ferns of British 

 India, t. 101. 



