176 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



are disposed one to three on each side of and close to the midrib. — Hooker, 

 Species Filicum, iv., p. 188. 



P. (Phegopteris) molle— Phe-gop'-ter-is ; mol'-le (soft), Roxburgh. 



This greenhouse species, also known in gardens under the name of 

 P. Diana}, is a native of St. Helena. Its fronds, 2ft. to 3ft. long, 1ft. to ljft. 

 broad, and borne on stout stalks 1ft. or more in length, have their leaflets 

 6in. to 9in. long, Ijin. to Sin. broad, and cut down to a broadly- winged rachis 

 into oblong, entire or notched, blunt lobes ; they are of a somewhat leathery 

 texture, with their under- surface finely hairy. The small and copious spore 

 masses are distant from the mid vein. — Hooker, Species Filicum, iv., p. 234. 

 Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, hi., p. 191. 



Another plant of totally different characters is sometimes found in gardens 

 under the same name. This is P. (Drynaria) molle of Beddome, which is 

 synonymous with P. rivale. P. (Goniophlebium) molle, also of Beddome, 

 is synonymous with P. Beddomei. 



P. moniliforme — mon-i-lif-or'-me (necklace -shaped), Lagasca. 



A small-growing, stove species, found along the Andes from Mexico to 

 Peru, producing from a stout, creeping rhizome of a scaly nature fronds Gin. 

 to 9in. long, Jin. broad, cut down to their midrib into close, entire leaflets of 

 a very leathery nature, naked on both sides. The sori (spore masses) are 

 disposed one to four to each leaflet. — Hooker, Species Filicum, iv., p. 182 ; 

 Icones Filicum, t. 719. 



P. morbillosum — mor - bil - lo 7 - sum (diseased). Synonymous with 

 P. Heracleum. 



P. Mori tzian Lim — Mor-itz-i-a'-nuin (Moritz's), Link. 



In this stove species, native of Venezuela, the fronds, produced from 

 a stout, creeping rhizome, and borne on erect stalks 4in. to 6in. long and of 

 a naked, glossy nature, are upright in habit, 1ft. to l£ffc. long, 3in. to 4in. 

 broad, and cut down nearly or quite to the rachis into close, bluntish, nearly 

 horizontal, undulated leaflets, Jin. to Jin. long, of a thin, papery texture, and 

 naked on both surfaces. The spore masses are disposed in two long rows on 

 each leaflet. — Hooker, Species Filicum, iv., p. 202. 



