598 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



N. rufescens — ru-fes'-cens (reddish), Presl. 



Althougli considered by the authors of the "Synopsis FiHcum" as simply 

 a variety of N. acuta, this remarkably handsome plant appears to be sufficiently 

 distinct to rank as a species. The upright habit of its fronds, 2ft. to 3ft. 

 long, the rusty-coloured woolly nature of their stalks and of the under-surface 

 of the leaflets, and the deeply-cleft character of the leaflets, render the plant 

 of more interest, in our opinion, than a mere variety of N. acuta. The leaflets 

 overlap one another and are cut down, especially on the lower side, into 

 deep, lanceolate (spear-shaped) segments, which in their turn are deeply and 

 conspicuously notched. The sori (spore masses) are nearly round, situated 

 immediately within the margin of the lobes, and covered with a kidney-shaped 

 involucre. — Hooker., Syfiojjsis Filicum, p. 301. Nicholson, Dictionary of 

 Gardening, iv., p. 573. 



N. r. tripinnatifida — trip-in-na-tif'-id-a (three times divided nearly to the 

 midrib). Baker. 



This free-growing, handsome, stove variety, is one of the most distinct 

 and beautiful of all the strong-growing kinds, and is a native of the Fiji 

 Islands. Its fronds, like those of N. rufescens, have a particularly upright 

 habit, and are 2ft. to 3ft. long and 4in. to 6in. broad ; they are of a lovely 

 bright green colour, which forms a pleasing contrast with the reddish tint of 

 their rachis (stalk of the leafy portion). They possess a peculiarly massive, 

 yet feathery appearance, produced by the broad leaflets, of a soft, papery 

 texture, being regularly and constantly tripinnatifid (three times divided nearly 

 to the midrib), their margins being on both sides deeply cleft and covering 

 each other in a graceful and most effective manner (see Plate), much in the 

 way of the better-known and very popular " Welsh Polypody " {Polypodium 

 vulgar e cambricum). — Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, iv., p. 573. 



This variety is very useful either for pot culture or for planting out in 

 the warm Fernery. Unfortunately, like nearly all plumose forms of species 

 of Ferns already in cultivation, it has, until now, proved entirely barren ; but, 

 being provided with the wiry, running rhizomes (prostrate stems) peculiar 

 to the genus, it may be easily propagated by the same method as that 

 employed for commoner kinds, which produce young plants on their rhizomes 

 at intervals. 



