218 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



P. squamulosum— squa-rnul-o'-sum (scaly), Kunze. 



A stove species, of small dimensions, native of Brazil and St. Catharine's 

 Island ; it is a very interesting and distinct Fern, and was introduced into 

 the Royal Gardens, Kew, in 1843. Its barren and fertile fronds are totally, 

 dissimilar : the former are spathulate (spoon- shaped) and about 3in. long ; 

 the latter, on the contrary, are so contracted as to become quite strap-shaped 

 and almost linear. Both kinds are of a leathery texture, whitish in the young 

 state, but becoming pale brown with age. The spore masses, of a conspicuous 

 bright yellow colour, are disposed in one row on each side of the midrib. 

 The venation is, like that of P. lycopodioides, very pretty, but, the fronds being 

 less transparent, the veins are not so plainly visible. — Lowe, Ferns British 

 and Exotic, i., t. 50 ; ii., t. 39b. 



P. (Goniopteris) stegnogrammoides— Go-m-op'-ter-is j steg-nog-ram- 

 mo-i'-des (Stegnogramma-like), Baker. 

 This stove species, native of the Sandwich Islands, is of a somewhat 

 arborescent habit and large dimensions. Its simply-pinnate fronds, borne on 

 firm, upright stalks lift, to 2ft. long, are 2ft. to 3ft. long and 1ft. or more 

 broad. Their leaflets are 6in. to 9in. long, l£in. broad, sharp-pointed at the 

 apex, bluntly lobed about a quarter of the way down, of a somewhat leathery 

 texture, and slightly hairy underneath. The spore masses are disposed in rows 

 near the midrib. P. sandvicense of Hooker is identical with this species. — 

 Hooker, Species Filicum, v., p. 5. 



P. (Phymatodes) Stenophyllum — Phy-mat-o'-des ; sten-oph-yl'-lum 

 (narrow-leaved), Blume. 

 This stove species, native of Malaysia and the Philippine Islands, is 

 provided with a moderately thick, wide- creeping rhizome densely clothed with 

 narrow scales of a pale colour, from which the entire fronds, borne on firm 

 stalks lin. or more long, are produced. These fronds are 4in. to 9in. long, Jin. 

 to £in. broad, and gradually narrowed to both ends ; they are of a very 

 leathery texture and naked on both sides. The spore masses, which form 

 a single row close to the edge, are completely immersed and very prominent 

 on the upper side. — Hooker, Species Filicum, v., p. 65. Beddome, Ferns of 

 British India, t. 234. 



