184 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



is minutely glandular and sometimes finely hairy. The leaflets repeat in 

 miniature the outline of the entire frond, the largest being 4in. to 6in. long 

 and cut quite down to the racliis (stalk) except at the top ; their pinnules 

 (leafits), iin. to lin. long, are deeply pinnatifid (cleft nearly to the midrib). 

 The fertile fronds usually bear fructification on their upper part only, their 

 lower leaflets being usually sterile. The sori (spore masses) are very minute 

 and disposed two to twenty to a pinnule, being placed usually on the lowest 

 tooth on the upper side of the lobes, usually one to a lobe, and covered by 

 a cup-like and not two-valved involucre. The habit of the plant is rather 

 erect and similar to that of Asplenium Filix-fcemina, difiering in that 

 respect from all the other species of Bicksonia, even tlie strongest-growing 

 kinds of which are all of a more or less arching habit. It is the Nephrodium 

 punctilohulum of Michaux, published in 1803 ; the Aspidium punctilobulum of 

 Swartz, 1806 ; and the Dicksonia jnlosiuscula of Willdenow, im.— Hooker, 

 SjMcies Filicum, i., p. 79. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, i., p. 468. 

 Lowe, Ferns British and Exotic, viii., t. 42. Eaton, Ferns of North America, 

 i., t. 44. 



D. (Cibotium) regalis— Cib-o'-ti-um ; re-ga'-hs (regal), Baker. 



This gigantic-growing, stove species, native of Mexico, though undoubtedly 

 of an arborescent character, is very slow in producing a trunk. Its large and 

 elegantly-arching fronds, oblong-triangiilar in shape and tripinnate (three times 

 divided to the midrib), often attain the length of 12ft., including the strong, 

 erect, slightly hairy stalks on which they are borne ; they are furnished with 

 leaflets l^ft. to 2ft. long and lOin. to 12in. broad, which are subdivided into 

 sessile pinnules (stalkless leafits). The pinnules are cut down to the rachis 

 (stalk), or to a narrow wing, into close, spear-shaped, and deeply-cleft segments, 

 each of which bears ten to twelve spore masses disposed parallel with the 

 edge. — Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, p. 461. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, 

 I, p. 468. 



D. (Patania) rubiginosa— Pat-an'-i-a ; ru-bi-gin-o'-sa (rusty), Kaulfuss. 



This singular, stove species, of straggling habit, is a native of Tropical 

 America, from Mexico and the AVest Indies to Brazil (Rio Janeiro, Tejuca, 

 and Bahia), Columbia, and Peru. Its fronds, of a soft, papery texture and 



