18 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



fertile fronds are of similar dimensions, but otherwise different. Both kinds 

 are borne on stout, erect, naked stalks, 6in. to 12in. long, of a pale brown 

 colour. The barren ones, 1ft. or more in length and Sin. to 12in. broad, are 



quadripinnatifid (four times divided half-way to the 

 midrib) ; their lower leaflets, somewhat triangular 

 and spreading, are 4in. to Gin. long and furnished 

 with numerous pinnules (leafits) and segments of a 

 somewhat triangular shape ; their ultimate divisions 

 are often wedge-shaped and trifid at the summit. 

 The fertile fronds are readily distinguished at first 

 sight by their less divided nature, and by the pod- 

 like appearance of their leafits (see Fig. 5, reduced 

 from Col. Beddome's " Ferns of Southern India," 

 by the kind permission of the author), which are 

 seldom more than ^in. to lin. long and Jin. broad. 

 The upper surface of both kinds of fronds is of 

 a beautiful, bright, glossy green, while the under - 

 surface of the fertile ones is rendered very attractive 

 by the rich golden colour of its sori (spore masses) 

 which are covered with an involucre of parchment 

 like texture. — Hooker, Species Filicum, ii., p. 121 

 Hooker and Greville, Icones Plantarum, t. 121 

 Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, ii., p. 499 

 Beddome, Ferns of Southern India, t. 30. Lowe 

 New and Rare Ferns, t. 1. 



In potting or planting this species, the utmost 

 care should be taken to keep the crown well above 

 the surface of the soil, which must be thoroughly 

 drained. 



Fig, 5. Fertile Frond of Onychium 

 auratum 

 (i nat. size). 



O. capense — ca-pen'-se (trom the Cape). This 

 is a garden synonym of 0. japonicum. 



O. japonicum — jap-on'-ic-um (Japanese), Kunze. 



This greenhouse species— by far the best known, though perhaps not the 

 handsomest— is undoubtedly the most useful of those in cultivation, being 



