272 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



G. (Eug-ymnog-ramme) Schomburgkiana— Eu-gym-nog-ranV-me ; 

 Schom-burgk-i-a'-na (Dr. Schomburgk's), Kunze. 

 A stove species, native of British Guiana, with fronds 2in. to oin. long, 

 IJin. broad, tripinnatifid (three times divided half-way to the midrib), and 

 borne on naked, glossy stalks Gin. to Din. long, of a dark chestnut-brown 

 colour. The lower leaflets are triangular, and cut down to the midrib into 

 spathulate pinnules (spoon-shaped leafits) of a somewhat leathery texture. 

 The sori (spore masses) are irregularly disposed along the veins. — Hooker, 

 Sjjecies Filicum, v., p. 127 ; Second Century of Ferns^ t. 92. 



G. Steltzneri — Steltz'-ner-i (Steltzner's). A variety of G. tartarea. 



G. (Ceropteris) SUlphurea — Ce-rop'-ter-is ; sul-phur'-e-a (sulphur- 

 coloured), Desvaux. 



This exquisitely beautiful, stove species, native of the West Indies, is 

 about the smallest-growing of all t]^e Golden Gymnogrammes with spear- 

 shaped fronds. The form of its fronds, which are 6in. to 12in. long and oin. 

 to 4in. broad, is extremely elegant, the leaflets being in pairs and set rather 

 widely apart ; those nearest the base of the frond are smallest and of 

 a triangular shape, and they gradually become larger and more elongated 

 as they become farther removed from the crown from which they are 

 produced, attaining their gTeatest length in the centre of the fronds. The 

 stalks are lin. to 6in. long, but generally short, slender, of a chestnut-brown 

 colour, and often powdery. The pinnules (leafits) are fan-shaped, with entire 

 (undivided) or cleft, wedge-shaped segments of a soft, papery texture, pale 

 green above, and profusely covered beneath with a brilliant sulphur-yellow, 

 farinose powder, of which there is also an occasional sprinkling on the upper 

 surface. The narrow, obliquely -forked sori (spore masses) become, when 

 fully mature, confluent and nearly cover the whole under-surface of the 

 frond. — Hooker, Species Filicum, v., p. 147. Nicholson, Dictionary of 

 Garcleni7ig, ii., p. 105. Lowe, Ferns British and Exotic, i., t. 5. 



G. sulphur ea is easily distinguished by its cutting, its small size, and 

 the soft texture of its fronds, narrowed in the lower third. Unfortunately, it 

 is more difficult than other Gymnogrammes to grow from one year to another. 

 During the winter it must be kept as close to the light as possible. 



