320 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



triangular fronds, 6in. to 12in. long and Sin. to Sin. broad, are produced 

 from a rhizome (prostrate stem) that is clothed with woolly, yellow hairs, 

 and are borne on firm stalks 4in. to 6in. long, woolly, and slightly winged 

 above ; they are tripinnatifid (three times divided nearly to the midrib). 

 The sori (spore masses), two to twelve to a leaflet, are placed at the extremity 

 of the lateral segments of the upper leaflets, and are provided with an egg- 

 shaped involucre (covering) that is divided to the base, with valves either 

 toothed or ciliated. — Hooher^ Species Filicum, i., p. 90, t. 32b. 



H. microphyllum — mi-croph-yF-lum (small-leaved), Mettenius. 



This small-growing species, with thread-like rhizomes (prostrate stems), 

 native of the Andes of Bogota, has the habit of small forms of H. tunhri.dgense. 

 — Hooker^ Synopsis Filicum., p. 463. 



H. microsorum — mi-cros-o'-rum (having small sori), Van den Bosch. 



This species, wliich is intermediate in habit between H. exsertum and 

 H. polyanthos, is a native of the Sikkim Himalayas, where it was collected by 

 Dr. Hooker at an elevation of 11,000ft. It is the plant that Beddome figures 

 and describes under the same name as a variety of H. polyanthos, stating 

 that it is found growing at 6,000ft. elevation on the Anamallay Mountains, 

 where it is common on trunks of trees near the head of the Toracadu 

 River, Ceylon. Its oblong- spear -shaped fronds, of a flaccid nature and 

 tripinnatifid (three times divided nearly to the midrib), are 2in. to 3in. 

 long, about lin. broad, and borne on slender, naked stalks, lin. to 2in. 

 long, sometimes winged towards the summit. The main rachis (stalk of 

 the leafy portion) is also naked, and furnished with a narrow wing extending 

 nearly throughout. The sori (spore masses), two to twelve to a leaflet, are 

 terminal on the lobes or segments of the upper pinnae (leaflets), very small, 

 and provided with an involucre (covering) that is divided more than half-way 

 down, with valves rounded and entire. — Hooher^ Synopsis Filicum., p. 59. 

 Beddome, Ferns of British India, t. 306. 



H. mnioides — mni-o-i'-des (Mnium-like), Baher. 



A very curious, minute, moss-like plant, with the habit of Mnium 

 undulatum or M. serratum, but dark brown in colour. It is closely alhed 



