202 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



D. caudata— cau-da'-ta (tailed), E. B rown. 



An easily-cultivated, greenliouse siDecies, wliicli comes up readily in crevices 

 and on pots in all Ferneries where one plant of it has been once intro- 

 duced ; it is a native of Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand. Speaking 

 of this plant. Dr. Hooker, in his " Flora of New Zealand," says : " It is very 

 closely allied to D. media, and probably a variety of it, but more flaccid, the 

 fronds often prostrate, pinnate nearly to the top, fertile more distinct from 

 the barren, and longer." In the cultivated plants, the fronds, 6in. to 12m. 

 long and IJin. to 2in. broad, are borne on gTeen, slender, smooth stalks 

 4in. to 6in. long ; the barren ones are drooping and furnished with oblong, 

 blunt leaflets of a soft texture, closely set, and sharply toothed. The fertile 

 ones are also pinnate (divided to the midrib), but erect, and their leaflets 

 are totally difterent, for they are contracted, auricled at the base, narrow- 

 spear-shaped, and set far apart ; their terminal leaflet, which is also fertile 

 and contracted, fi'equently forms a tail-like process measuring from l^in. to 

 2in. long. — Hooker, Sjjedes FiUcum, iii., p. 75. Nicholson, Dictionary of 

 Gardening, i., p. 486. Loice, Ferns British and Exotic, iv., t. oIa. 



Although the commonest kind known, this is one of the most useful of 

 all Doodias ; it is the best for Fern- cases, as also for growing under plants 

 of any sort where a green background is requisite. It is also useful for 

 planting on the walls or in crevices in the rockwork, where it displays its 

 pretty, wavy fohage to great advantage. Two distinct varieties are known in 

 cultivation ; these are : 



D. C. COnfluens — con'-flu-ens (confluent), Moore. 



The same plant as D. linearis of J. Smith. It diflers from the typical 

 plant in having narrow-linear fronds, the upper part of which is undivided, 

 while only the lower third is sinuate and pinnatifid (divided half-way to the 

 midrib) ; their lobes are rounded, and the lowest ones are very distinct. It 

 is a native of New Caledonia and Austraha. — Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, p. 190. 

 Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, i., p. 486. 



D. C. Harryana— Har-ry-a'-na (Harry Yeitch's), Moore. 



This garden-raised variety differs from D. caudata m being altogether of 

 larger dimensions, its fronds being stouter and of firmer texture. It may be 



