466 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



Principal Species and Varieties. 



N. (Eunephrodium) abortiYUm — Eu -neph-ro'-di-um ; ab-or-ti'-vum 

 (abortive), /. Smith. 

 A stove species, of comparatively small dimensions, native of Penang, 

 Java, and Ceylon. Its fronds, of a soft yet firm texture, 1ft. to 2ft. long 

 and 6in. to Sin. broad, are borne on tufted, firm, erect, and quite naked stalks 

 6in. to 12in. long. The central leaflets, 3in. to 4in. long and not quite lin. 

 broad, are cut about one-third of the way down into close, entire lobes ; the 

 lower leaflets are distant, and are suddenly reduced to mere auricles (ears). 

 The veinlets are from six to eight on a side, and the sori (spore masses) are 

 medial (disposed along the iTn.diY\h).—HooUr, Syno-psls FiUcum, p. 292. 

 Nicholsoji, Dictionary of Gardening, ii., p. 440. 



N. (Lastrea) abruptum— Las'-tre-a ; ab-rup'-tum (abrupt). Baker. 



This is a strong-growing, stove species, native of Peru, with fronds 2ft. 

 to 3ft. long, Ift. or more broad, and borne on angular stalks IJft. long and 

 of a sHghtly villous (downy) nature above. The leaflets, 6in. to Sin. long 

 and of a somewhat leathery, rigid texture, are cut down to a broadly-winged 

 stalk into close, sharp -pointed, entire lobes, the basal ones rather reduced, and 

 the leaflets on the upper side cut otF in a slight curve. The veinlets are 

 prominent, twelve to sixteen on each side, with the spore masses near the 

 extremity. N. abruptum of Presl is identical with N. truncatum. — Hooker, 

 Si/nojjsis Filicum, p. 263. 



N. (Lastrea) acutum— Las'-tre-a ; ac-u'-tum (sharp-pointed). Hooker. 



A stove species, of very distinct appearance, from South Brazil. Its 

 fronds, deltoid (in shape of the Greek delta. A) and three or four times 

 divided nearly to the midrib, are IJft. to 2ft. long and borne on straw- 

 coloured stalks of a slightly scaly nature. The lowest leaflets are distinctly 

 stalked, of the same deltoid shape, and unequal-sided ; their pinnules (leafits), 

 spear-shaped, stalkless, and sharp-pointed, are cut down to a narrow wing 

 into spear-shaped segments, the lowest of which are again pinnatifid. The 

 whole of the leafy portion is of a thin yet somewhat leathery texture and of 



