NEPHRODIUM. 



489 



foliage fades away in autumn, shrivelling up in a similar manner to what is 

 observed with the Lady Fern, Avhilst N. cristatum remains green far into 

 the winter, its fronds not shrivelling up, but breaking near the ground 

 and thus causing them to be prostrate long before they have faded away. The 

 variety uliginosum is given in the "Synopsis Filicum" as a connecting link 

 between N. cristatum and N. spinulosum^ the barren fronds most resembling 

 the former, and the fertile ones the latter. Both kinds of frond occupy an 

 erect position and are borne on long stalks, which make them appear naked 

 about half their length ; they are broader than in the typical species ; their 

 pinnules or leafits, smaller and more numerous, are also more sharply pointed, 

 more deeply cut, and furnished with sharp teeth at their extremity ; and the 

 fructification, of a conspicuous colour, extends over the whole under- side of 

 the frond. — Hooker^ Synopsis Filicum, p. 273. Lowe, Ferns British and 

 Exotic, vi., p. 60. 



N. (Lastrea) CUbense— Las'-tre-a ; cub-en'-se (Cuban), Baker. 



A stove species, native of Cuba, with much-divided fronds like those of 

 the better-known N. denticulatum, but not so sharply cut. — Hooker, Synopsis 

 Filicum, p. 501. 



N. (Eunephrodium) CUCUllatum — Eu-neph-ro'-di-um ; cuc-ul-la'-tum 

 (hood- like). Baker. 



This stove species, of medium dimensions, native of Northern India, 

 Ceylon, the Malaccas, and Fiji, has fronds 1ft. to 2ft. long and Sin. to 12in. 

 broad, borne on strong, upright stalks of a brownish colour and nearly naked. 

 The leaflets, 4in. to 6in. long and Jin. broad, are cut down one-third of the 

 way* to the rachis (stalk of the leafy portion) into triangular, sharp-pointed, 

 somewhat sickle- shaped lobes of a leathery texture, the lower leaflets dwindlmg 

 down suddenly to mere auricles. The sori (spore masses) are nearly terminal 

 on the veinlets, eight to ten of which are found on each side of a lobe. — 

 Hooker, Species Filicum, iv., p. 81. 



N. (Eunephrodium) Cumingianum — Eu-nejDh-ro'-di-um ; Cum-ing-i- 

 a'-num (Cuming's), /. Smith. 

 This is a very distinct, stove species, of small dimensions, native of 

 Panama, with ligalate (strap-shaped) fronds Sin. to 4in. long and Jin. to fin. 



