HYMENOPHYLL UM. 



313 



green hue, the same tint being found in both young and old fronds. 

 According to the variety, the fronds are from 4in. to 12in. long, 2in. to 4in. 

 broad, and borne on firm, erect, smooth stalks 2in. to 4in. long ; they are 

 tripinnatifid (three times divided nearly to the midrib) and somewhat 

 resemble those of R. demissum in outlme, but are more spear-shaped, and 

 their pinnaa (leaflets), instead of being smooth, have a crisped appearance, 

 produced by a contraction which is natural to them. The lower leaflets, 

 lin. to 2in. long, are divided into several pinnules (leafits) that are distinct 

 through their wedge-shaped base and furnished on both sides with several 

 long, narrow segments. The sori (spore masses), six to twenty to a leaflet, 

 are terminal on the lateral segments, and are provided with an involucre 

 (covering) that is divided more than half-way doA'VTi and has rounded and 

 entire valves. — Hooker, Species Filicum, i., p. 111. Hooker and Greville, 

 Icones Filicum, t. 197. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, ii., p. 166. 

 Lowe, New and Rare Ferns, Addenda, p. 182. 



H. flexuosum — flex-u-o'-sum (bending), Cunningham. 



A Fern with beautifully crisped and undulated fohage, and a native of 

 New Zealand, somewhat resembling H. crisj)atum, but with larger and more 

 divided fronds, lOin. to 12in. long, broadly spear-shaped, and borne on 

 distinctly-winged stalks ; they are four times divided nearly to the midrib, 

 their ultimate segments bemg narrow and undulated. The numerous sori 

 (spore masses), six to twenty to a leaflet, are terminal on the segments on 

 both sides and provided with a large involucre (covering) that is entu^e and 

 two-valved to the base. It is a species whose wiry rhizomes (prostrate 

 stems) delight in decayed moss and vegetable matter, and also one of the few 

 which do not suffer from wetting overhead. Although given in the " Synopsis 

 Filicum" as simply a synonym of H. javanicum, H. Jlexuosum is usually 

 accepted as a distinct species, and it is described and illustrated as such in 

 Hooker's Species Filicum, i., p. 105, and Icones Plantarum, t. 962 ; also in 

 Lowe's New and Rare Ferns, p. 179. 



H. Forsterianum — Fors-ter-i-a'-num (Forster's), Schneider. 



This beautiful species, dedicated to the memory of the late J. Cooper 

 Forster, was accidentally introduced into this country growing among some 



