606 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



N. cinnamomea — cin-nam-o'-me-a (cinnamon-coloured), Baker. 



In this stove species, native of Guatemala, the fronds are borne on tufted 

 stalks lin. to Sin. long and at first densely clothed with soft hairs of a pale 

 brown colour ; they are oblong-spear- shaped, Sin. to 4in. long, about Sin. 

 broad, and twice or three times divided to the midrib. The stalkless, spear- 

 shaped leaflets, |in. to Jin. long, are divided into blunt, oblong pinnules 

 (leafits) of a soft texture, and clothed on their under-side with loose, pale 

 brown hairs. The brown sori (spore masses) are disposed in a continuous 

 line along the margin of the pinnules. — Hooker.^ Synopsis Filicum, p. 515. 



N. (Cincinalis) dealbata— Cin-cin-a'-lis ; de-al-ba'-ta (whitened), Kunze. 



This very elegant little plant, of slender habit, is a native of North 

 America, and requires cool treatment. Eaton says that "it is found in wild 

 state, growing in the crevices of rocks on the banks of the Missouri River, 

 about 50 miles above its confluence, in Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, 

 and Southern Kansas, where it is somewhat plentifully growing on the 

 perpendicular faces of calcareous rocks, and especially where sheltered by 

 overhanging projections." The fronds, borne on slender, wiry, chestnut-brown 

 stalks 4in. to 6in. long, are deltoid (in shape of the Greek delta. A), Sin. to 

 4in. each way, and tripinnate (three times divided to the midrib), their distant 

 leaflets being again divided into blunt, oblong lobes of a somewhat leathery 

 texture ; they are of a pale gi-een colour on their upper surface, while the 

 under- side is coated with pure white powder. — Hooker, Species Filicum, v., 

 p. 113. Eaton, Ferns of North America, i., t. 9. 



N. deltoidea— del-toid'-e-a (deltoid), Baker. 



This is the smallest species at present known ; it is a native of Mexico, 

 and thrives best under cool treatment. Its little fi:-onds, in shape of the Greek 

 delta. A, borne on densely-tufted stalks of a pale brown colour and clothed 

 throughout with spear-shaped, whitish scales, are seldom more than IJin. in 

 length, and are composed of from three to seven blunt lobes of a thick and 

 somewhat leathery texture, dull green and nearly smooth on their upper 

 surface, but provided on the under- side with overlapping scales similar to 

 those with which the stalks are covered. The sori (spore masses) are entirely 

 hidden by these scales. — Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, p. 514, 



