312 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



eight to a leaflet, are terminal or axillary on the segments on both sides, and 

 provided with an involucre (covering) that is divided down nearly to the 

 base and has oblong valves bluntly toothed at the ^mmmi.— Hooker, 

 Species Filicum, i., p. 109, t. 38a. Beddome, Ferns of Southern India, t. 9. 



H. falklandicum— falk-land'-ic-um (from the Falkland Islands), Baker. 



A species of small dimensions and very slender, upright habit (Fig. 81), 

 native of the Falkland Islands. Its elegant little fronds, produced from 

 a slender, thread-hke, wide-creeping rhizome (prostrate stem), and borne on 



stalks of similar nature, |^in. to fin. 

 long, -are oblong and bipmnatifid 

 (twice divided nearly to the midrib) ; 

 they are lin. to 2in. long and Jin. 

 broad, with sessile pinuEe (stalkless 

 leaflets) spreading upright, the upper 

 ones either simple (undivided) or 

 forked, the lower ones twice deeply 

 cleft into ligulate (strap -shaped), very 

 distinctly but finely toothed segments 

 or lobes. The sori (spore masses) are 

 solitary, disposed at the base of the 

 upper leaflets on the upper side, and 

 provided with an involucre (covering) 

 having spear-shaped, entire valves. — 

 Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, p. 68. 

 Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, 

 ii., p. 166. 



H. fimbriatum — fim-bri-a'-tum (fringed). A synonym of H. javanicum. 



H. flabellatum— fla-bel-la'-tum (fan-like), Lahillardiere. 



This lovely species, also known under the names of H. ni'tens and 

 R. nitidum, is a native of Austraha, Tasmania, and New Zealand, where 

 it grows pendent from trunks of Tree Ferns and other trees, also from holes 

 in rocks and roots of trees. It is very variable in size, compactness, and 

 degTee of elongation of its fronds, which are of a peculiar, ghstening, bright 



Fig. 81. Hymenophyllum falklandicuin 

 (nat. size). 



