480 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



about midway between the edge and the midrib. Fig. 117 is reduced from 

 Col. Beddome's "Ferns of British India," by the kind permission of the 

 author.— Zrooy(:er, Sj)ecies Filicum, iv., p. 113, t. 251. Beddome, Ferns of 

 British India ^ t. 37. 



Fig. 117. Frond of Nephroclkim Brunonianum 

 (i nat. size). 



N. (Lastrea) Buchanani— Las'-tre-a ; Bu-chan'-an-i (Buchanan's), BaJcer. 



A distinct, stove species, native of Bourbon and Natal, with fronds 

 deltoid (shaped like the Greek delta, A), 1ft. to 2ft. each way, quadripinnatifid 

 (four times divided nearly to the midrib), and borne on tufted stalks Gin. to 

 12in. long, brownish at the base, straw-coloured upwards, and densely clothed 

 with narrow, dark brown scales. The lower leaflets, also deltoid, are the 

 largest and unequal- sided ; the others are equal and spear-shaped : all are of 

 a moderately firm texture, naked on both surfaces, and of a bright green 

 colour. The final lobes are strap-shaped and blunt, and are faintly toothed 

 on the outer edge. The rather large sori (spore masses) are disposed along 

 the midveins, and are not found on the lower part of the pinnules (leafits) ; 

 they are covered by a smooth involucre of a persistent nature. — Hooker, 

 Synojjsis Filicum, p. 499. 



N. (Lastrea) canum— Las'-tre-a ; ca'-num (hoary), Baker, 



A greenhouse species, somewhat resembling the better-known N. molle, 

 from which it is mainly distinguished by being slenderer in all its parts. — 

 Hooker, Syiiopsis Filicum, p. 267. 



