554 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



robust nature, are produced from a thick, fleshy, underground rhizome (prostrate 

 stem), which dehghts in finding its way in any material of a rough or coarse 

 nature— peat, partly-decayed vegetable matter, or even partly-decomposed 

 moss ; they are borne on stalks 6in. to 12in. long and of a scaly nature, and 

 their leafy portion usually measures Ift. or more in length. The terminal 

 leaflet is 4in. to Gin. long, lin. to l^in. broad, and sharply pointed at its 

 extremity, and it shows on both sides finely-toothed lobes reaching about 

 a quarter of the way down to the midrib ; there are also from three to six 

 spreading, lateral leaflets on each side of the frond, the lower ones being 

 distinctly stalked. The texture is leathery, and the colour a bright, shining 

 gTeen. This is a very ornamental and exceedingly useful plant, to which 

 a certain character of distinctness is imparted by its large, conspicuous, closely- 

 set sori (spore masses), which cover nearly the whole under-side of the 

 fronds.— ifoo^'er, S]decies Filicum, iv., p. 62, t. 238. Nicholson, Dictionary of 

 Gardening, ii., p. 442. 



The plant known in commerce as Lastrea aristata variegata, though 

 usually considered as a form of this species, is undoubtedly a variety of 

 Aspidium aristatum, and is described as such at p. 444, Vol. I. 



N. (Eunephrodium) pallidiYenium— Eu-neph-ro'-di-um ; pal-lid-iv-e'- 

 ni-um (pale-veined). Baker. 

 A stove species, of somewhat large dimensions, native of the Guinea 

 Coast, and gathered in the Livingstone Expedition on the shores of Lake 

 Nyassa. Its rigid fronds, 2ft. to 3ft. long. Sin. to 12in. broad, and borne on 

 naked stalks 1ft. or more long, are furnished with leaflets 4in, to Gin. long, 

 about lin. broad, and cut two-thirds of the way down to the rachis (stalk) 

 into somewhat sickle-shaped, deeply-cut, closely-set lobes. The lower leaflets 

 are not much smaller than the others, and all are of a leathery texture. The 

 small and abundant sori (spore masses) are disposed in close roAvs about 

 midway between the midrib and the edge. — Hooker, Species Filicum, v., p. 8. 

 Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, ii., p. 442. 



N. (Lastrea) palustre — Las'-tre-a ; pal-us'-tre (marsh-loving). Baker. 



This greenhouse species, native of Brazil, in general habit greatly 

 resembles N. montanum, but is of much larger dimensions. Its fronds, 



