DAVALLIA. 



155 



rhizome (prostrate stem) of a peculiarly downy nature, and borne on upright, 

 strong stalks that are hairy throughout their whole length. They are spear- 

 shaped and bipinnatifid (twice divided nearly to the midrib) ; their lower 

 leaflets, 4in. to Sin, long and lin. broad, are cut down to the rachis (stalk) 

 into unequal-sided and rather bluntly -toothed, oblong pinnules (leafits) of a 

 soft texture. The small and abundant sori (spore masses) are disposed two 

 to twelve to a pinnule, and placed at the base of their lobes. — Hooker, Species 

 FiUcum, i., p. 173, t. 47a. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, i., p. 447. 

 Lowe, Ferns British and Exotic, viii., t. 32. 



D. strigosa has a most graceful, arching habit, and is particularly adapted 

 for growing in the rockery, where, strange as it may appear, it requires 

 but httle soil, comparatively to its robust habit, to develop its beautiful 

 fronds, the softly hairy nature of which, coupled with the elegant form of 

 their leaflets, gives it a most pleasing appearance. 



D. S. rhomboidea — rhom-b6-i'-de-a (rhomboidal), Wallich. 



This is similar in texture and hairiness to D. strigosa, but is much larger 

 in all its parts ; its lower leafits, about ljui. long, are cut down nearly 

 to the rachis (stalk) into oblong lobes. — Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, 

 i., p. 447. 



D. (Stenoloma) tenuifolia— Sten-ol-o'-ma ; ten-u-if-oF-i-a (slender-leaved), 

 Sivartz. 



A greenhouse species, native of Troj)ical Asia and Polynesia, where it is 

 common; it is also abundant in Japan, and in the Himalayas, where it is met 

 with at an elevation of 5000ft. Its elegant, egg-shaped fronds, 1ft. to IJft. 

 long and 6in. to 9in. broad, are produced from a very short- creeping rhizome 

 (prostrate stem), and borne on strong, upright, polished, naked stalks Gin. to 

 12in. long. The lower leaflets, 4in. to Gin. long and 2in. to Sin. broad, are 

 spear-shaped, and so are their piimules (leafits), which are again cut down 

 into segments with toothed, cuneate (wedge-shaped) lobes. The sori (spore 

 masses) are usually disposed singly, but sometimes in pairs, at the extremity 

 of the segments, and are often broader than deep. — Hooker, S-pecies Filicum, 

 i., p. 186. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardeniiig, i., p. 447. Lowe, Ferns 

 British and Exotic, viii., t. 14. 



