570 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



N. (Lastrea) Sloanei— Las'-tre-a ; Sloan'-e-i (Sloane's), Baker. 



A stove species, mucli in the way of N. jKitens, but of larger dimensions, 

 of more rigid habit, and with narrower and more sharply-pointed lobes. Its 

 fronds, oft. to 4ft. long, are produced from a stout, wide -creeping, scaly 

 rhizome (prostrate stem). It is a native of Mexico and Cuba, and extends 

 southward to Brazil and Peru. — Hooker^ Synojms Filicum, p. 263. 



N. (Eunephrodium) SOphoroides— Eu-neph-ro'-di-um ; soph-or-o-i'-des 

 (Soj)hora-like), Desvaux. 

 This greenhouse species is a native of Japan, Hong-Kong, and Formosa. 

 Its fronds are 1ft. to 2ft. long and 6in. to 9in. broad, and are borne 

 on slender stalks 1ft. or more long and of a downy nature. The spreading 

 leaflets are of a soft, papery texture, 4in. to 6in. long, Jin. to fin. broad, and 

 sharp -pointed at their extremity, with the edge cut about one-third of the 

 way down into oblong-triangular lobes. The sori (spore masses) are distant 

 from the midrib. — Hooker^ Species Filicum^ iv., p. 68. Nicholson, Dictionary 

 of Gardening, ii., p. 444. 



N. (Lastrea) sparsum — Las'-tre-a ; spar'-sum (scattered), Don. 



This noble-looking, greenhouse species, also known in gardens under the 

 name of N. pturpurascens, has a very wide range of habitat, being found from 

 Northern India to North China, in Ceylon, the Malayan Islands, Mauritius, &c. 

 Beddome, in his excellent work on Indian Ferns, states that it is a common 

 plant in most mountainous tracts on the western side of the Madras 

 Presidency. Its broadly spear-shaped fronds, 1ft. to 2ft. long, Sin. to 12in. 

 broad, and borne on glossy stalks 6in, to 12in. long, are produced from 

 a short, upright, stout trunk covered with egg-shaped, pointed, chaffy scales. 

 The lowest leaflets, 4in. to 6in. long and IJin. to 2in. broad, are the largest. 

 The lowest pinnules (leafits) are sometimes again divided, the others, spear- 

 shaped and unequal- sided, being deeply cleft into oblong, blunt lobes : all 

 are of a papery yet firm texture and of a pale green colour. The abundant 

 sori (spore masses) are usually disposed one to each lobe, and placed near 

 the midrib ; they are covered with a flat, naked involucre about one line 

 broad. — Hooker, Species Filicum, iv., p. 132, t. 262. Nicholson, Dictionary 

 of Gardening, ii., p. 444. Beddome, Ferns of Southern India, t. 103. 



