392 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



which in time forms a small stem or trunk, densely clothed with long, 

 narrow, dark brown scales at the crown. They are bipinnatifid (twice 

 divided nearly to the midrib), and are furnished with narrow-spear-shaped 

 leaflets of a soft, papery texture, the lower ones Sin. to Sin. long and 

 Jin. to fin. broad, cut down very nearly to the rachis into narrow- 

 oblong, sharp -pointed, slightly-toothed leafits. Both kinds of fronds in 

 this interesting species are similar in shape, size, and cutting ; the only 

 noticeable difference between them is that, while the barren ones are of a 

 bright, glossy, dark green on both surfaces, the fertile ones, of the same 

 colour on their upper surface, are more erect and densely covered with 

 bright red spore masses underneath. This species requires constant moisture 

 at the roots. — Hooker^ Species Filicum, iii., p. 40 ; Icones Plantarum, t. 185. 

 Nicholson^ Dictionary of Gardening, ii., p. 294. 



L. Germainii — G-er-mai'-ni-i (Germain's), Hooker. 



This pretty, dwarf-growing, greenhouse or hardy species, native of 

 Chili, is more extensively known in gardens and in the trade as 

 L. crenulata. In general aspect it much resembles L. alpina, but the 

 lower leaflets of its fronds are distinctly separated. It is a slowly-creeping 

 plant with oblong- spear-shaped barren fronds 2in. to 3in. long, about fin. 

 broad, produced in great abundance from little wiry rhizomes (prostrate 

 stems) which always remain on the surface of the ground, and borne on 

 short stalks lin. to 2in. long, densely clothed at the base with pale 

 brown scales. These barren fronds are furnished with sessile (stalkless) 

 leaflets of a stout, leathery texture, blunt and notched, the largest about 

 ^in. long and ^in. broad, the lower ones distantly placed and gradually 

 narrowing to mere auricles or lobes. The fertile fronds, which are furnished 

 with leaflets nearly as broad and close as the barren ones, are borne on 

 larger stalks and^ upright. This interesting little plant may very easily be 

 propagated at almost any time by the division of its rhizomes. — Hooker, 

 Species Filicum, iii., p. 32, t. 152. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, 

 ii., p. 294. 



L. Ghiesbreghtii— Ghies-bregh'-ti-i (Ghiesbreght's), Baker. 



A small -growing, stove species, native of Chiapas, South Mexico. Its 

 small, somewhat spear-shaped barren fronds, Sin. to Gin. long and Jin. to 



