POLYPODIUM. 



115 



range of mountains and to the islands lying off the shore." In general habit 

 it is very like the common Polypody (P. vulgare) ; its fronds, 6in. to 9in. long, 

 oin. to 5in. broad, and borne on firm, erect, naked stalks Sin. to Gin. long, are 

 produced from a wide-creeping rhizome clothed with spear-shaped scales of 

 a rusty-brown colour. They are cut down nearly or quite to the midrib into 

 finely-toothed leaflets ljin. to 2£in. long, of a soft, papery texture. The large 

 and prominent spore masses are disposed in single rows near the midrib. — 

 Hooker, Species Filicum, v., p. 18. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, hi., 

 p. 188. Eaton, Ferns of North America, i., t. 31. 



P. (Dictyopteris) cameroonianum— Dic-ty-op'-ter-is ; cam-er-oo-m- 

 a'-nura (native of the Cameroons), Hooker. 

 A very robust-growing, greenhouse species, native of the Cameroon 

 Mountains, with fronds 3ft. to 4ft. long, 2ft. broad, and borne on glossy stalks 

 4ft. long. The upper part of these fronds is divided nearly to the midrib 

 into spear-shaped lobes ; the lower leaflets, in the shape of the Greek delta, A, 

 are sometimes more than 1ft. long, Gin. to Sin. broad, and cut down below 

 nearly to the rachis into pinnatifid, spear-shaped lobes of a soft, papery texture 

 and naked on both sides. The spore masses are disposed in rows near the 

 main veins. — Hooker, Species Filicum,, v., p. 104. Nicholson, Dictionary of 

 Gardening, hi., p. 188. 



P. capillare— cap-il-la'-re (hair-like), Desvaux. 



The habitat of this stove species extends from the West Indies to Peru. 

 Its fronds, 1ft. long and 2in. broad, of a flaccid nature and pendent habit, 

 are borne on tufted, short, slender stalks of a wiry nature. The leaflets, lin. 

 to lin. long, are either entire or lobed, and of a soft, papery texture. The 

 copious spore masses are disposed in two long rows. — Hooker, Species Filicum, 

 iv., p. 231, t. 279. 



P. (Phymatodes) capitellatum— Phy-maW-des ; cap-it-el-la'-tum (small- 

 headed). Synonymous with P. juglandifolium. 



P. (Phegopteris) Carrii— Phe-gop'-ter-is • Car'-ri-i (Lieut. Carr's), Baker. 



This stove species, with simply-pinnate, oblong-spear-shaped fronds 1ft. to 

 2ft. long, borne on straw-coloured stalks 6in. to 12in. long, is a native of Rio 



i 2 



