304 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



terminal on the lobes, and are provided with an orbicular involucre (nearly 

 round covering) cleft nearly to the base. — Hooker, Sjiecies Filicum, I, p. 87. 

 Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardeni?ig, ii., p. 165. Loive, New and Bare Ferns, 

 Addenda, p. 181. 



H. attenuatum — at-ten-it-a'-tmn (attenuated). This is a synonym of 

 H. magellanicum. 



H. axillare — ax-il-la'-re (axillary), Swartz. 



A species of dwarf dimensions, indigenous in the West Indies and 

 Venezuela, with fronds 3in. to Sin. long, liri. broad, narrow-oblong in shape, 

 three times divided half-way to the midrib, of a flaccid and pendent nature, 

 and produced from very slender rhizomes (prostrate stems). The main rachis 

 (stalk of the leafy portion) is winged throughout or above only. The lower 

 leaflets vary from Jin. long with simple segments, to IJin. long with 

 pinnatifid (cleft) leaflets and several segments. The sori (s23ore masses), two 

 to twelve to a leaflet, are terminal on the lateral segments, and are provided 

 with an involucre (covering) divided more than half-way down, with valves 

 rounded and entire. — Hooker, Species Filicum, i., p. 111. 



H. badium — bad'-i-um (reddish, chestnut-brown). Hooker and Greville. 



This thoroughly distinct species, which is very rare in cultivation, is 

 a native of Sikkim, Nepaul, and the Malayan Peninsula. Its erect fronds, 

 4in. to 12in. long, 2in. to oin. broad, oblong or broadly spear-shaped, and 

 tripinnatifid (three times divided nearly to the midrib), are borne on stalks 

 2in. to Sin. long, of a slender nature, and winged above ; the main rachis 

 (stalk of the leafy portion) is broadly winged throughout. The lower 

 leaflets are divided down to the rachis into several pinnules (leafits) on each 

 side, the lowest of which are several times deeply incised. The sori (spore 

 masses), two to twelve to a leaflet, are terminal on the segments on both 

 sides ; they are provided with an involucre (covering) that is divided down 

 nearly to the base, and the rounded valves of which are nearly twice as 

 broad as they are deep and toothed on their outer edge. — Hooker, Species 

 Filicum, i., p. 102. Hooker and Greville, Icones Filicum, t. 76. Beddome, 

 Ferns of British India, t. 282. 



