170 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



P. (Phegopteris) Mannianum— Phe-gop'-ter-is ; Man -ni-a'-num (Mann's), 

 Hooker. 



This distinct and much-divided, greenhouse species, native of Fernando 

 Po, has spear-shaped fronds 1ft. long, 4in. to 5in. broad, borne on tufted stalks 

 Gin. to 9in. long and of a glossy nature. Their lowest leaflets, which are the 

 largest, are 2in. to Sin. long, and cut down to the rachis below into broadly- 

 triangular leafits, with deep, blunt, entire lobes. The texture is soft and 

 papery, and the sori (spore masses) are disposed two to eight to a leant. — 

 Hooker, Species Filicum, iv., p. 253. 



P. (Phymatodes) marginatum — Phy-mat-o'-des ; mar-gin-a'-tum 

 (margined), Baker. 



A stove species, of medium dimensions, native of the Isle of Pines and 

 New Caledonia. Its fronds, produced from" a firm, wide-creeping rhizome, 

 and borne on naked stalks lin. to tin. long, are narrow-strap-shaped, undivided, 

 lft. to ljft. long, Jin. to fin. broad, gradually narrowed to both ends, of 

 a rigidly leathery texture, bright green, and naked on both sides. The oblong, 

 immersed sori (spore masses) are disposed on the margin and parallel with 

 the edge, where they are placed Jin. to Jin. apart. — Hooker, Synopsis 

 Filicum, p. 513. 



P. (Grammitis) marginellum— Gram-mi'-tis ; mar-gin-er-lum (slightly- 

 margined), Swartz. 

 This small-growing, stove species, of more botanical interest than decorative 

 value, has a very wide range of habitat, being found in the West Indies and 

 Guatemala to Guiana and Peru, St. Helena, the Cape Yerde Islands, &c. Its 

 strap-shaped fronds, oin. to Gin. long and -g-in. to ^in. broad, are blunt at the 

 point and gradually taper downwards into a short stem ; they are of a leathery 

 texture, naked or slightly hairy on both surfaces, and margined with a distinct, 

 black line. The copious sori (spore masses) are closely set, oval or oblong, 

 and disposed in rows nearer the midrib than the edge. — Hooker, Species 

 Filicum, iv., p. 164. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, hi., p. 191. 



P. Martensii — Mar-tens'-i-i (Martens'), Mettenius. 



The fronds of this greenhouse species, native of Mexico, are produced 

 from a stout, wide-creeping rhizome clothed with large, parchment-like, bright 



