616 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



quite so robust, and of a slenderer and more drooping habit. The most 

 distinctive character of this extremely interesting plant, however, is the dense, 

 pure silvery-white powder covering the under-side of its flexible fronds, and 

 through which the abundant and naked sori (spore masses) protrude ; these 

 sori are disposed all round the margins of the small, roundish pinnules 

 (leafits). This character fully accounts for the common name of " Silver 

 Maidenhair Fern" ; the blackness of the stalks adds to the delusion, as their 

 slender and shining nature is very similar to that of most Adiantums. The 

 stalks are 4in. to Gin. long, and are covered at their base with narrow scales 

 of a bright rusty-brown colour. The fronds themselves are tripinnate (three 



times divided to the midrib), with distant leaflets, long-stalked pinnules 

 (leafits), and blunt, roundish segments of a somewhat leathery texture and 

 pale green colour. — Hooker^ Species Filicum, v., p. 111. Nicholson, Dictionary 

 of Gardening, ii., p. 456. Lowe, Ferns British and Exotic, i., t. l3. 



N. nivea is a most useful plant where baskets of small dimensions are 

 required for the warm house ; it should be kept very near the light, and 

 in a position where no syringing is likely to reach it. 



N. n. Hookeri — Hook'-er-i (Hooker's), Loioe. 



A garden variety, diff*ering from the above species through its close 

 and enlarged segments and stalkless leafits (Fig. 149).- — Hooker, Synopsis 

 Filicum, p. 374. 



Fi^. 149. Frond of Nothochlesna nivea Hookeri 



(i nat. size). 



