94 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



barren ones is spathukte (spoon-shaped) and blunt, while the fertile ones are 

 longer and narrower (6in. to 12in. long and |in. to Jin. broad). Both kinds 

 of fronds are produced from a firm but slender rhizome clothed with narrow, 

 deciduous scales, and borne on firm, erect stalks seldom more than lin. long ; 

 they are smooth and of a dark green colour above, while their under-side is 

 thinly coated with a whitish, woolly substance. The small, bright-coloured 

 sori (spore masses) are immersed, and occupy the whole of the contracted 

 upper part of the frond. — Hooker, Species Filicum, v., p. 47 ; Garden Ferns, 

 t. 19. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, hi., p. 186. Beddome, Ferns of 

 Southern India, t. 184. 



P. (Goniophlebium) adnatum — Go-ni-oph-leb'-i-um ; ad-na'-tum 

 (adnate), Kunze. 



A strong-growing, stove species, native of Guatemala, with fronds ljft. 

 to 3ft. long, 1ft. broad, and borne on naked, glossy stalks 6in. to 12in. long. 

 They are composed of several pairs of oblong-spear-shaped leaflets, the upper 

 ones broadly attached to the midrib at their base, and of a terminal one of 

 similar shape, Gin. to 9in. long, and ljin. to 2in. broad. All the leaflets are 

 of a somewhat leathery texture, with sori (spore masses) disposed in rows of 

 four to six between the midrib and the edge. — Hooker, Sjjecies Filicum, v., 

 p. 27. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, hi., p. 186. 



P. (Phymatodes) affine— Phy-mat-o'-des ; af-fi'-ne (related), Blume. 



This strong-growing, stove species, native of the Moluccas and Philippine 

 Islands, somewhat resembles the better-known P. nigrescens ; but it is easily 

 distinguished from that plant through the disposition of its spore masses, 

 which are not immersed and are placed in two or three irregular rows between 

 the midrib and the edge. The fronds, 2ft. to 4ft. long and 1ft. or more 

 broad, are produced from a scaleless rhizome of a woody nature, and borne on 

 Arm stalks 1ft. to l£ft. long and of a particularly glossy appearance. — Hooker, 

 Species Filicum, v., p. 84. 



P. (Niphobolus) africanum — Niph-ob'-ol-us ; af-ric-a'-num (African), 

 Mettenius. 



A greenhouse sj3ecies, native of Kaffraria, Natal, Zambesi Land, Angola, 

 and the Guinea Coast. From a stout rhizome densely clothed with large grey 



