270 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



fronds being palmately forked at their summit ; their upper surface is of 

 a pecuhar dark green colour and glossy, and their spore masses are Hnear 

 (narrow) and irregular— ZTooyl-er, Species Filicum, v., p. 126. 



G, (Eugymnogramme) reniformis — Eu-gym-nog-ram'-me ; re-nif- 

 or'-mis (kidney-shaped), Martins. 

 This is a most singular -looking, stove species, native of Brazil and Peru, 

 and deserving of notice on account of its leathery fronds, which are lin. 

 to IJin. each way, and have their outer edge round and faintly notched ; 

 they are borne on wiry, blackish stalks lin. to 2in. long. The simple, linear 

 sori (long and narrow spore masses) at last form a broad line parallel with 

 the outer edge and about lin. within it— Hooker, Species FUicum, v., p. 126 ; 

 Second Century of Ferns, t, 9. 



G. (Eugymnogramme) rufa — Eu-gym-nog-ram'-me ru'-fa (reddish), 

 Desvaux. 



A distinct and ornamental, stove species, native of Mexico and the West 

 Indies. Its fronds are 1ft. to l^ft. long, 3in. to Sin. broad, and simply 

 pinnate (only once divided to the midrib) ; they are borne on upright, firm, 

 chestnut-brown stalks 4in. to 12in. long, clothed with soft, spreading hairs, 

 and furnished with stalked leaflets that are rounded or heart-shaped at the 

 base, bluntish at their extremity, lin. to Sjin. long, Jin. to lin. broad, and 

 smooth on the edge. These leaflets are of a soft, papery texture, and are 

 thickly covered, especially underneath, with reddish-brown hairs. The 

 abundant narrow sori (spore masses) are disposed on the veins all over the 

 under-surface, and in the more mature state become confluent on every 

 leaflet. — Hooker, Species Filicum, v., p. 145. Nicholson, Dictionary of 

 Gardening, ii., p. 105. Lowe, Ferns British and Exotic, i., t. 6a. 



G. (Eugymnogramme) rutaefolia— Eu-gym-nog-ram'-me ; ru-tas-foF-i-a 

 (Rue-leaved), Hooker and Greville. 

 A curious, dwarf-growing, greenhouse species, having somewhat the 

 appearance of our British Asplenium Ruta-muraria, with hairy and simply- 

 pinnate fronds, 2in. to Sin. long, their leaflets being fan-shaped on the outside, 

 and lobed and wedge-shaped at the base. — Lowe, New and Rare Ferns, t. 45a. 



