DA VALLIA. 



159 



D. (Microlepia) urophylla — Mi-crol-ep'-i-a ; u-roph-yr-la (tailed-leaved), 

 Eoolcer. 



A strong-growing, stove species, also known as Microlepia caudigera, native 

 of Bhotan, the Khasya Hills, and Kumaon. Its massive fronds, 2ft. to 3ft. long 

 and tliree times pinnatiiid (cut nearly to ttie midrib), are borne on strong, 

 erect stalks of the same length ; their lower leaflets. Din. to 12in. long and 

 6in. to Sin. broad, are spear-shaped and furnished with pinnules (leafits) 

 of a leathery texture, which are cut down to the rachis (stalk) below into 

 unequal- sided, broadly-toothed lobes. The nearly marginal sori (spore masses) 

 are disposed one to each of the lower notches of the lobes. — Hooker^ Species 

 Filicum, i., p. 172. Beddome, Ferns of British India, t. 253. 



D. (Humata) vestita — Hum-a'-ta ; ves-ti'-ta (clothed), Blume. 



A stove species, native of Ceylon and Java, and very closely related to 

 D. pedata, being of similar dimensions, and its fronds, triangular in shape and 

 also of a leathery texture, differing from those of that species only through 

 the barren ones having all their segments, except those of the lower leaflets, 

 blunt and scarcely toothed. The lobes of the fertile segments, in the teeth of 

 which the sori are placed, are narrower and more sharply toothed. — Hooker, 

 Species Filicum, i., p. 156, t. 41c. Beddome, Ferns of Southern India, t. 253. 



D, Yillosa — vil-lo'-sa (hairy). Synonymous with D. marginalis. 



D. (Microlepia) Wilfordii— Mi-crol-ep'-i-a ; Wil-ford'-i-i (Wilford's), Baker. 



This pretty, distinct, greenhouse species, native of Japan, somewhat 

 resembles the better-known D. ciliata, D. marginalis, and D. strigosa in 

 appearance, and in the soft and hairy nature of its fronds, which are, 

 however, of much smaller dimensions, being seldom more than 9m. long and 

 3in. broad. They are equally spear-shaped, but tripinnatifid (three times cleft 

 nearly to the midrib) ; their lower leaflets being cut down to the rachis (stalk) 

 below into broadly- egg- shaped and sharply-toothed leafits, each of which 

 bears two to six sori at the summit of their teeth. — Hooker, Second Century 

 of Ferns, t. 48. 



=x«==^8^=5cx== 



DENNST^DTIA— Denn-strf-ti-a. See Dicksonia. 



