GLEICHENIA. 



229 



G. (Eugleichenia) rupestris — Eu-glei-che'-m-a ; ru-pes'-tris (growing 

 in rocky places), Brown. 

 An exceedingly rare and very handsome, greenhouse species, native of 

 New South Wales and Port Jackson, somewhat allied to G. cirdnata., but 

 of denser and more symmetrical habit ; it is distinct from most other plants 

 of the same section through the leathery texture of its foliage and the 

 reddish-purple tint or prune-colour of the stalks of its fronds. These 

 fronds are quite smooth, repeatedly forked into two, and furnished with 

 comparatively broad and short leaflets having rounded lobes or segments 

 peculiar through their thickened and recurved nature and glaucous (bluish- 

 green) colour beneath. The sori (spore masses) are composed of capsules 

 disposed three or four together on each side of the midvein. — Hooher, Species 

 Filicum, i., p. 2, t. 1b. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, ii., p. 73. Lowe, 

 Ferns British and Exotic, viii., t. 53. 



G. r. glaucescens — glau-ces'-cens (bluish-green), Moore. 



In this pretty variety the fronds are of the same dimensions as in the 

 type, but their leafy portion is of thicker texture, and their glaucous colour, 

 besides being more conspicuous, is not confined to the under-part only, but 

 spreads all over the surface, and forms a striking contrast with the reddish- 

 purple tint of the stalks. — Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, iv., p. 549. 



G. semivestita — se-miv-es-ti'-ta (half- clothed). A variety of G. circinata. 



G. (Mertensia) simplex — Mer-ten'-si-a ; sim'-plex (simple), Hooher. 



A singular and distinct, greenhouse species, native of the Andes of Quito 

 and Peru. Its simple (not forked), narrow -spear -shaped fronds are pectinato- 

 pinnatifid (comb-like and divided nearly to the midrib), pointed at their 

 summit. Gin. to 14in. long and Jin. to lin, broad. The lowest segments 

 spread obliquely from a broad base, and are glaucous (bluish-gTeen) underneath. 

 The sori (spore masses) are composed of from two to four capsules mixed with 

 reddish-brown hairs. — Hooker, Species Filicum, i., p. 7. 



G. speluncae — spe-lun'-c£e (cavern-loving). A variety of G. circinata. 



G. (Mertensia) tenera — Mer-ten'-si-a ; ten'-er-a (tender). Brown. 



A pretty, greenhouse Fern, native of Tasmania, and one which looks 

 very much like a yomig form of G. fiahellata, from which, however, it diiFers 



