LYGODIUM. 



431 



L. polymorphum— pol-ym-orph'-um (many-formed). Synonymous with 

 L. venustum. 



L. polystachyum— pol-ys-tach'-y-um (many-spiked), Wallich. 



A native of the Malayan Peninsula, and easily distinguished from all 

 other species by its mode of fructification and by its numerous uniform leaflets 

 being deeply and regularly pinnatifid (cut nearly to the midrib). The primary 

 petiole (first stalk) is very short, the secondary ones being about Jin. long. 

 The leaflets, Sin. to 12in. long and 4in. to 6in. broad, are divided into uniform 

 segments 2in. to Sin. long, fin. broad, and jointed at the base; these are 

 disposed nine to twelve on each side, and are cleft more than half-way down 

 to the stalk into close, entire, blunt lobes ; the upper segments are sessile 

 (stalkless), the lower ones are short- stalked, and all are of a somewhat 

 leathery texture and downy on both surfaces. The fructification occupies 

 the back of the scarcely-modified barren lobes. This species differs in general 

 aspect from all other known Lygodiums on account of its stems being of 

 a beautiful claret colour at the base, and covered all over with short, woolly, 

 whitish down, which is also observable on both surfaces of the leaflets.— 

 Hooker, Second Century of Ferns, t. 76. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, 

 ii., p. 309. 



Although requiring as much water at the roots as any other kind, 

 L. ijolystachyum will not stand syringing over its foliage. 



L. reticulatum— re-tic-ul-a'-tum (reticulated, netted), Schkuhr. 



This fine, bold-looking plant, native of the Polynesian Islands and 

 Eastern Tropical Australia, though not so hardy as the Japanese and North 

 American species, has for a long time been considered a gem among the large 

 chmbing Ferns ; it is particularly effective when grown around a pillar 

 where massive fohage is required, for, besides being a robust grower, its 

 beautiful fronds are of a rich, dark, glossy colour, especially when the plant 

 is grown in a rather shady place. These fronds, which are of indefinite 

 length and distinctly bipinnate (twice divided to the midrib), are furnished 

 with numerous pairs of leaflets, all disposed exactly opposite, the primary 

 petiole (first stalk) being only Jin. long and the secondary ones Jin. long. 

 The leaflets are composed of a terminal segment and from four to six lateral 

 ones on each side ; these are of a firm, almost leathery texture, either rounded 



