LONCHITIS. 



419 



Culture. 



LoncJiitises thrive in a mixture of two parts peat and one part fibrous 

 loam ; they require an abundance of water at the roots and complete 

 protection from the direct rays of the sun. These plants may possibly be 

 objected to for pot culture on account of their strong growth ; but in the 

 conservatory or in the rock Fernery, where bold-looking plants are frequently 

 required for elFect, they never fail to prove a source of attraction, especially 

 when planted out with sufiicient space allowed them in which to develop 

 their handsome fronds. When fertile, the fronds are very conspicuous on 

 account of the bright colour of the spore masses. Though usually propagated 

 by division of their undergi-ound rhizomes, these plants may also be increased 

 be means of their spores, which germinate freely if sown as soon as they 

 are ripe. 



Species. 



L. Lindeniana— Lin-den-i-a'-na (Linden's). The plant so called is identical 

 with L. puhescens, as are also L. madagascariensis and L. natalensis. 



L. OCCidentalis— oc-cid-en-ta'-lis (Western), Baker. 



This greenhouse species, native of Fernando Po, Angola, and the Came- 

 roon Mountains, where it grows at 4000ft. elevation, produces triangular 

 fronds 2ft. to 4ft. long and tripinnatifid (three times cut down nearly to 

 the midrib), except very near their summit ; they are borne on strong, upright, 

 naked stalks 1ft. to 2ft. long. The lower leaflets are narrowly triangular, 1ft. 

 to IJft. long, and 9in. broad ; they are again divided into spear-shaped leafits, 

 cut down below about three-quarters of the way to the midrib into blunt 

 lobes of a somewhat oblong form. The distinctly kidney -shaped sori (spore 

 masses) are placed in the sinuses (depressions) at the base, or along the 

 margin of the ultimate lobes. This species is readily distinguished from the 

 more popular L. puhescens through the naked nature of the surfaces and 

 rachis (stalk of the leafy ^ovt\oi\).— Hooker, Synojjsis Filicum, p. 128. 



L. pubescens— pu-bes'-cens (downy), Willdenow. 



This, by far the more popular species, also known as L. Lindeniana, 

 L. madagascariensis, L. natalensis, &c., is a strong-gTowing kind and one 



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