NEPHRODIUM. 



491 



to the midrib), 2ft. to 3ft. long, 1ft. or more broad, and borne on strong, 

 naked, glossy, greyish stalks 1ft. to 2ft. long, are furnished with closely- 

 set, spreading leaflets 4in. to 6in. long and about lin. broad. These leaflets 

 have their extremity sharp-pointed and their edge irregular and very deeply 

 toothed ; they are of a somewhat leathery texture, of a pleasing light green 

 colour, and their veinlets, disposed in groups of from ten to twelve on each 

 side, often show a sorus (spore mass) on each, close to the main vein. — 

 Hooker^ Species Filicum, iv., p. 76, t. 241a. Nicholson, Dictionary of 

 Gardening, ii., p. 440. 



N. (Lastrea) davallioides — Las'-tre-a ; dav-al-li-o-i'-des (Davallia-like), 

 Baker. 



This large-growing, stove species, native of Fiji, Tahiti, and Samoa, 

 produces from a stout, wide-creeping rhizome (prostrate stem) fronds 3ft. to 

 4ft. long and 2ft. or more broad, borne on strong stalks IJft- to 2ft. long, 

 of a brownish colour, and densely scaly at the base only ; they are deltoid 

 (in shape of the Greek delta. A), with lower leaflets 1ft. long and nearly as 

 broad. The leaflets are divided into pinnules (leafits) of similar shape, and 

 these in their turn are cut into either spear-shaped or deltoid segments, the 

 lobes of which are deeply cleft. The texture is somewhat leathery, and the 

 small and abundant, sori (spore masses) are covered with a firm, kidney- 

 shaped involucre. — Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, p. 287. 



N. (Lastrea) decipiens— Las'-tre-a ; de-cip'-i-ens (deceiving). Hooker. 



A greenhouse species, of small dimensions, native of China, with broadly 

 spear-shaped fronds Sin. to lOin. long and 4in. to 5in. broad, and spreading 

 leaflets 2in. to 3in. long, with the edge very slightly but broadly toothed. 

 These leaflets, of a somewhat leathery texture and naked on both surfaces, 

 have their sori (spore masses) disposed in two rows near the midrib. — Hooker, 

 Species Filicum, iv., p. 86, t. 243. 



N. (Lastrea) decompositum— Las'-tre-a ; de-com-pos'-it-um (decom- 

 pound, much cut), B. Brown. 

 This very handsome, greenhouse species, native of Australia, Tasmania, 

 New Zealand, Tahiti, and the Fiji Islands, is very variable in size, cutting, 



