218 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



curved inwards, forming little cavities, as if meant to liold and protect the 

 spores; this character is very noticeable even in barren fronds. The mider- 

 surface is so glaucous as to appear almost silvery, and the whole plant is of 

 a charming pale green colour, having an aspect quite diiFerent from any of the 

 others of its section. — Lotve^ Ferns British and Exotic^ viii., t. 49. 



G. (Mertensia) cryptocarpa — Mer-ten'-si-a ; cryp-toc-ar'-pa (having 

 hidden fruit), Hooker. 

 A greenhouse species of medium dimensions, native of South Chih, Chiloe, 

 and the Falkland Islands. Its fronds, of a very smooth nature and leathery 

 texture, are dichotomously flabeUiform (repeatedly forked and fan-shaped). Their 

 broadly-spear-shaped, upright and compact leaflets are 4ui. to oin. long and 

 lin. broad, and their segments, narrow-linear and strongly veined, present a 

 pecuUar appearance through their margins being singularly revolute or bent 

 inwards, and concealing the sori (spore masses), which are composed of 

 capsules disposed one to four in a group. The fronds, when dry, are of a 

 most peculiar deep yellow or yellow-brown colour.— Ho oJcer, Species Filicum, 

 i., p. 7, t. 6a. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, ii., p. 72. 



G. (Mertensia) Cunninghami— Mer-ten'-si-a ; Cun'-ning-ham-i (Cun- 

 ningham's), Heward. 

 This very pretty, greenhouse species, native of New Zealand, where it is 

 known by the common appellation of the "Umbrella Fern," is unfortunately 

 very rarely seen in our gardens at present. Although it has been imported 

 by dilFerent firms at various times, it does not appear to have ever become 

 very popular, for the simple reason that in nearly every instance all, or almost 

 all, the imported clumps died soon after their arrival in this country ; yet it 

 is a species worthy of the attention of every cultivator. It is erect in habit, 

 its fronds, of a coriaceous (leathery) texture, being produced from thick, 

 underground creeping rhizomes (stems) ; they grow to 3ft. high, and are 

 dichotomously flabeUiform (repeatedly forked and fan-shaped). The leaflets, 

 narrow- spear- shaped and pointed, are often falcate (sickle-shaped), 4in. to 6in. 

 long and ^in. broad ; their narrow and sharp -pointed segments are very 

 glaucous, even bluish, underneath, and hairy. The sori (spore masses) are 

 composed of capsules disposed two to four in a group. The appearance of the 



