THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



densely covered with a whitish powder underneath. The round and superficial 

 sori (spore masses) are disposed along the margins of the fertile leaflets. — 

 Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, p. 509. 



P. albo-pimctatissimum — ar-bo-punc-ta-tis'-sim-um (much dotted with 

 white). A variety of P. crassifolium. 



P. (Phymatodes) albo-squamatum — Phy-mat-o'-des ; al'-bo-squa-ma'- 

 tum (having white scales), Blume. 

 This is a very distinct, stove species, of large dimensions, native of 

 Malaysia and the Philippine Islands. Its singular-looking fronds, produced 

 from a woody rhizome clothed with dense, dark brown scales sometimes lin. 

 long, are borne on firm, erect stalks 6in. to 12in. long and glossy ; they are 

 sometimes simple (undivided) but usually pinnate (once divided to the midrib), 

 lft. to 2ft. long, 1ft. or more in breadth, with several distant, spreading leaflets 

 6in. to lOin. long, Jin. to fin. broad, very sharp-pointed at the extremity, but 

 narrowed at the base, the lower ones being stalked. The fronds are of 

 a somewhat leathery texture, and their upper surface is decorated with small, 

 white, scale-like dots either at the edge or all over. The sori (spore masses) 

 are disposed in a single row midway between the midrib and the edge. — Hooker, 

 Species Filicum, v., p. 92 ; Garden Ferns, t. 47. Nicholson, Dictionary of 

 Gardening, iii., p. 186. 



P. (Phegopteris) alpestre — Phe-gop'-ter-is ; al-pest'-re (alpine), Hoppe. 



This very elegant and perfectly hardy species, native of Scotland, Norway, 

 Sweden, Switzerland, Germany, Russia, the Pyrenees, &c, is most appro- 

 priately named, as, whether in Europe or in North America, it is found 

 only at high elevations. As a British plant it is the least known of the 

 whole genus, probably on account of the restriction of its habitat, which 

 appears limited to a few' localities in Scotland, where, however, it usually 

 grows in abundance, and generally in company with the "Lady Fern" 

 (Asplenium Filix-foemina) . It is probably also on account of possessing 

 a general aspect similar to that of the " Lady Fern " that its existence as 

 a British species has been ignored until a comparatively recent date, for its 

 first discovery in the British Isles is attributed to Mr. H. C. Watson, who 

 in 1841 gathered it on Ben Aulder, in Inverness- shire ; and in 1844 a frond 



