DICKSON I A. 



175 



mth dark brown and very brittle roots descending from the crown, which is 

 also of the same colour and produces gracefully-arching, almost pendulous 

 fronds 6ft. to 7ft. long and bipinnate (twice divided to the midrib). The 

 lower leaflets, 1ft. to IJft. long and 6in. to 9in. broad, have their pinnules 

 (leafits) cut down quite to the rachis (stalk), except towards their extremity, 

 their segments being deeply toothed and bluntish. The main rachis and the 

 stalk are clothed mth a thick coat of shining, yellowish-brown hairs on their 

 entire length. The fertile pinnules are slightly contracted, and their sori 

 (spore masses) are disposed two to six to a segm-ent. This species is also 

 known as B. Blumei, D. magnijicum., and Cihotium speciosum. — Hooher, 

 Synopsis Filicum, p. 50. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, i., p. 467. 



D. (Patania) Cicutaria— Pat-an'-i-a ; cic-u-ta'-ri-a (Cicuta-like), Swartz. 



This very handsome, strong-growing, stove Fern, native of Tropical 

 America, from Mexico and the West Indies southward to Rio Janeiro and 

 Peru. Its massive fronds, 4ft. to 8ft. long and borne on strong, hairy stalks, 

 are produced from a stout, creeping rhizome (prostrate stem) ; they are 

 bipinnate (twice divided to the midrib), of a soft, papery texture, and of 

 a pale, vivid, shining-green colour. Their lower leaflets, 1ft. to IJft. long and 

 about 6in. broad, are cut down into narrow, sharp-pointed pinnules (leafits) 

 with oblong, deeply-pinnatifid segments, the under- surface of which, as well 

 as the rachises (stalks of the leafy portion), are naked or very finely hairy. 

 The sori (spore masses), covered by a cup-shaped involucre, are placed two 

 to twelve to a segment, and disposed at the base of the sinuses (notches). — 

 Hooker, Species Filicum, 1, p. 76. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, 

 i., p. 467. Loive, Ferris British and Exotic, viii., t. 40. 



D. cicutaria is very variable in cutting and in texture. Among the 

 different forms found in cultivation may be mentioned D. dissecta of Sieber, 

 which is a native of Peru and Gruatemala and has barren segments more 

 wedge-shaped and serrated above ; D. {Patania) erosa of Presl, ivith larger 

 and more hairy pinnules, less deeply lobed and of brighter green colour ; 

 D. c. incisa of Baker, with fronds more compoimd than the type, and with 

 toothed segments four times pinnatifid ; and the Brazihan D. tenera of Martins, 

 which is similar in size and habit to the typical plant, but is of a more 

 membranous textm-e. 



