430 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



fronds. This is composed of several pairs of somewhat triangular leaflets, 

 three or four times pinnatifid (cut nearly to the midrib), being pinnately 

 divided, with leafits generally three-lobed, and formed only of winged 

 rachises (stalks) and short, s|)ike-like, 'fertile ultimate divisions of a very 

 graceful and elegant appearance. — Hooker^ Filices Exoticce, t. 24. Nicholson, 

 Dictionary of Gardening, ii., p. 309. Loive, Ferns British and Eoxotic, 

 viii., t. 74. Eaton, Ferns of North America, i., t. 1. 



Particulars as to the protection of L. palmatum by law, and also as to 

 the use in America of the foliage, are given in full on pp. 58 and 59 of 

 Vol. I. To grow well and to freely produce its handsome fertile fronds, 

 whose fructification, borne in miniature catkins, ripen about September, this 

 species requires a very porous soil ; the best mixture is good leaf mould and 

 chopped sphagnum in equal parts, with an abundance of water at the roots 

 all the year round, but principally from March to September. 



L. pedatum — ped-a'-tum (bird's-foot-shaped). This is synonymous with 

 L. dichotomum. 



L. pinnatifidum — pin-na-tif-id-um (pinnatifid, divided nearly to the 

 midrib), Swartz. 



A very handsome species, having a wide range of habitat, as it is a native 

 of the Himalayas, Ceylon, the Phihppine Islands, North Australia, Angola, 

 Grumea, &c. In general appearance it somewhat resembles the better-known 

 L. venustum ; it is almost devoid of primary petiole (first stalk), its leaflets 

 being closely set on to the stem. These leaflets, Sin. to 12in. long. Gin. to 

 12in. broad, and usually set in pairs, are composed of a ligulate-oblong 

 (broadly strap-shaped) terminal segment oin. to Gin. long and Jin. to fin. 

 broad, and three or four lateral ones on each side, usually either rounded or 

 heart-shaped, all articulated (jointed) at the base, the lower ones, or all, 

 short-stalked and sometimes halbert- shaped or pinnate (divided to the midrib) 

 below ; all are of a somewhat leathery texture and of a very bright green 

 colour, with both surfaces either naked or slightly downy. The fructification, 

 which consists of Httle spikes one to three lines long, disposed in close rows 

 along the edge of the leafy segments, is very pretty and eflective. — Hooher, 

 Synopsis Filicum, p. 438. Beddome, Ferns of Southern India, t. 63. 



