412 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



where they are usually divided and dilated. The fertile fronds are 1ft. long 

 and have their leaflets mostly, forked. Sometimes the barren fronds terminate 

 in a large, multifid (much- cleft) head, and the plant often produces sharply- 

 toothed, mock-fertile fronds, which are quite sterile. — Loiv.e^ Our Native 

 Ferns, ii., p. 391, fig. 802. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, ii., p. 295. 



L. S. flabellata — fla-bel-la'-ta (fan-shaped), Lowe. 



This is such an extraordinary form that we cannot do better than 

 reproduce in full its description from Lowe's work : " It is the most remarkable 

 Lomaria yet found. It is scarcely to the- species what acrocladon is to 

 Athyrium, but is equally as remarkable as that fine form, and, what is 

 singular, was found in the same vicinity (near Helrasley, Yorkshire) by 

 the same discoverer, Mr. Monkman, of Malton, who first named this fine 

 plant ramo-cristatum, but in consequence of the more markedly fan-like forms 

 assumed by the strongly - developed fronds and the constantly-increasing 

 tendency to dichotomous (repeated) forking, he was induced to adopt the 

 name fiahellatum, as being the most descriptive. The plant is robust, but 

 has not proved fertile. The fronds branch into two, three, or four at the 

 stipes (stalks), each division again repeatedly forking, and the same process 

 repeating until the flabellate (fan-like) form is made up of a dense mass of 

 foliage. The large, flat fronds hanging over the pot are very striking." — 

 Lowe, Our Native Ferns, p. 402, fig. 822. NicJiolson, Dictioiiary of Gardeniny, 

 ii., p. 295. 



L. S. heterophylla — het-er-oph-yl'-la (difi-erent-leaved), Lowe. 



A curious variety, of small dimensions, found near Tunbridge Wells ; 

 on Ben Lawers, in Scotland ; and also at Ilfracombe. Its barren fronds, 

 barely 4in. long, are exceedingly varied, some being normal, others depau- 

 perated (impoverished) throughout, while others show some leaflets projecting 

 beyond the margin and intermixed with shortened and normal leaflets. — 

 Lowe, New and Rare Ferns, p. 47, t. 20a ; Our Native Ferns, ii., p. 393. 



L. S. imbricata — im-bric-a'-ta (imbricated, overlapping), Lowe. 



In this variety the barren fronds, Gin. long, 2in. broad, are spear- 

 shaped and taper upwards. The leaflets, very narrow at the base, are 



