380 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



It is usually met with growing wild, either on the sides of Tree Ferns or on 

 partly-decayed branches of trees. The barren fronds, 1ft. to 3ft. long and 

 very gradually narrowed downwards, are furnished with numerous leaflets 

 connected at the base, Sin. to 4in. long, Jin. to fin. broad, gradually narrowing 

 towards the point, which is sometimes bluntly toothed they are of a leathery 

 texture, and when young are of a very pretty rosy tint, but later on become 

 dark green. The fertile fronds, of similar shape, are much smaller, their 

 numerous leaflets being very much contracted and of a uniform dark gi-een 

 colour at all times. Both kinds of fronds are produced from a stout, decumbent 

 caudex (stem) densely clothed with narrow scales of a bright brown colour, 

 with which the crown also is entirely covered ; they are borne on upright 

 stalks 4in. to 6in. long, naked or but slightly scaly below. L. gigantea of 

 Kaulfuss is identical with this species.— ZToo/rer, Sj^ecies Filicum, iii., p. 6. 

 Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, ii., p. 293. Lowe, Ferns British and 

 Exotic, iv., t. 64. 



L. auriculata — aur-ic-ul-a'-ta (auricled, eared), Baler. 



A stove species, of medium dimensions, native of Lord Howe's Island, 

 with barren fronds oblong- spear- shaped, 1ft. long, 3in. to 3Jin. broad at the 

 middle, gradually narrowed to the base, and furnished with fifteen or sixteen 

 pairs of leaflets. The upper and central leaflets are spear-shaped, ascending, 

 bluntish, entire (undivided), connected at their base by a wing |in. to ^in. 

 broad ; the lowest ones, much reduced and fin. to lin. long, are free, though 

 auricled (eared) on both sides at the base. The texture is somewhat leathery, 

 the colour dull dark green, and both surfaces and the racliis (stalk of the 

 leafy portion) are densely clothed with purpHsh-brown hairs. Fertile fronds 

 are unknown. — Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, p. 481. 



L. australis— aus-tra'-hs (Southern), Link. 



This greenhouse species, native of the Cape of Good Hope, is one of the 

 most beautiful of the whole genus ; but although introduced into the Royal 

 Gardens, Kew, as far back as 1839, it has never become plentiful in this 

 country. Its barren fronds, 1ft. to 2ft. long, are very symmetrical in form 

 and furnished with oblong or spear-shaped, stalkless leaflets, of a dark, rich 

 green colour, the upper ones being even attached to the midrib. In the fertile 



