524 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



(spore masses), which are covered with a very large involucre of a parchment- 

 like texture. Although a plant of small stature and somewhat rigid appear- 

 ance, N. fragrans is one which deserves to be grown in every collection, if 

 only for its perfume, which is readily detected even if only a single plant is 

 kept. — Hooker, Species Filicum, iv., p. 122. Hooher and Greville, Icones 

 Filicum, t. 70. Nicholson, Dictionary/ of Gardening, ii., p. 441. Eaton, Ferns 

 of North America, i., t. 23. 



N. (Lastrea) Fraseri— Las'-tre-a ; Fra'-ser-i (Fraser's), Baher. 



A stove Fern, of large dimensions, native of Ecuador, with fronds 3ft. 

 or more long, 1ft. broad, and borne on dark reddish stalks. — Hooker, Synopsis 

 Filicum, p. 4S5. 



N. (Lastrea) funestum — Las'-tre-a ; fu-nes'-tum (deadly). A synonym of 

 N. suhquinquefidum. 



K, (Lastrea) Funkii— Las'-tre-a ; Funk'-i-i (Funk's), Baker. 



This stove species, of small dimensions, native of New Granada, produces 

 spear-shaped fronds Ift. long and 2in. to S^in. broad, borne on short stalks, 

 which, like the rachis (stalk of the leafy portion), are clothed throughout 

 with firm, spreading, narrow, dark brown scales. These fronds are bipinnatifid 

 (twice divided nearly to the midrib), being furnished with sessile (stalkless), 

 spear-shaped, bluntish leaflets of a moderately firm texture, cut down to 

 a narrow wing into nearly entire (undivided) lobes, the surfaces of which are 

 of a somewhat downy nature. The sori (spore masses), disposed along the 

 midvein, are covered with a small involucre of a fugacious nature. — Hooker, 

 Synopsis Filicum, p. 496. 



N. (Lastrea) furcatum — Las'-tre-a ; fur-ca'-tum (forked). Hooker. 



A stove species, of gigantic dimensions, native of Columbia and Peru. 

 Its ample fronds, 3ft. to 6ft. long and 2ft. or more broad, are borne on stalks 

 2ft. to 3ft. long, densely clothed with a mass of very narrow, intertangied 

 scales of a rusty brown colour. The lower leaflets, 1ft. to IJft. long, 6in. to 

 9in. broad, and spear-shaped or triangular, are furnished with spear-shaped 

 leafits (pinnules) of a soft, papery texture ; their segments are cut down 



