536 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



with close, si^ear- shaped pinnules (leafits) cut down below nearly to the 

 midrib into oblong, bluntly-toothed lobes of a soft, papery texture, at the base 

 of which the sori (spore masses), covered with a prominent, ciliated involucre, 

 are disposed. — Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, p. 279. 



N. (Lastrea) Kaulfussii— Las'-tre-a ; Kaul-fus'-si-i (Kaulfuss's), Hooker. 



This stove species, of medium dimensions, is a native of Brazil and the 

 West Indies. Its fronds, borne on slender and slightly hairy stalks -fin. to 

 6in. long, are IJft. to 2ft. long. Gin. to Sin. broad, and oblong-spear-shaped. 

 Their leaflets, Sin. to 4in. long, are cut down nearly to the rachis (stalk) into 

 spreading, entire, blunt lobes, of a soft, papery texture, and finely hairy on 

 their under-surface. The sori (spore masses), disposed along the midrib, are 

 covered by a fu gacious involucre. — Hooker, Sjyecies Filicuni, iv., p. 97. 

 Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, ii., p. 44:1. 



N. (Lastrea) lanceolatum — Las'-tre-a ; lan-ce-ol-a'-tum (spear-shaped), 

 Baker. 



This pretty, stove species, native of Coban, Guatemala, is of small 

 dimensions ; its elegant, spear-shaped fronds are tripinnatifid (three times 

 divided nearly to the midrib) and seldom measure more than 1ft. in length, 

 including the tufted and minutely- scaly stalks on which they are borne. The 

 short-stalked leaflets, also spear-shaped and wedge-shaped at their base on the 

 lower side, are cut into strap-shaped, blunt pinnules (leafits) with blunt lobes, 

 of a moderately firm texture, smooth on their upper surface, their under-side 

 being densely scaly on the midribs. The sori (sjDore masses), disposed close 

 to the midrib and only one to each lobe, are covered with a smooth, persistent 

 involucre. — Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, p. 498. 



N. (Lastrea) lancilobum — Las'-tre-a ; lan-ciF-ob-um (having spear-shaped 

 lobes), Baker. 



A greenhouse species, of medium dimensions, native of Queensland, and 

 very striking on account of the dark green colour and finely -hairy nature of 

 its fronds, which are deltoid (in shape of the Greek delta. A), 1ft. to 2ft. 

 each way, and quadripinnatifid (four times divided nearly to the midrib). 

 These fronds are borne on greyish stalks 1ft. long, and then* lower leaflets, 

 much the largest, are slightly stalked. The lowest pinnules (leafits) and 



