220 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



scales, attaining 8ft. to 10ft. or more in length and Sin. to 12in. in breadth. 

 They are borne on firm, naked stalks Gin. to 12m. long and of a glossy 

 nature ; their leaflets, 4in. to Gin. long and ±m. to lin. broad, are slightly 

 toothed in young plants, whereas in older specimens the fronds have their 

 leaflets set farther apart and narrower, with smooth edges, rounded or even 

 auricled (eared) at the base. The sori (spore masses), as in several other 

 species, are immersed in the leaflets, forming little protuberances on their 

 upper surface. P. Beinwardtii is synonymous with this species. — Hooker, 

 Species Filicum, v., p. 32. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, iii., p. 194. 

 Lowe, Ferns British and Exotic, I, t. 37. Beddome, Ferns of British 

 India, t. 78. 



P. subauriculatum is a Fern which can with great advantage be utilised 

 for covering dead trunks of Tree Ferns ; in such positions it makes a very 

 beautiful object and. grows apace, as it delights in sending its roots and 

 rhizomes into partly-decayed vegetable matter. In the centre of a warm 

 conservatory it makes a Fern surpassing all others in elegance, and where 

 there is plenty of height to allow the fronds space to hang, a specimen with 

 numberless fronds 10ft. to 12ft. long is a sight not easily forgotten. If grown 

 in a basket, it will derive great benefit from a small portion of chopped 

 sphagnum added to the mixture of soil, and will stand a fair amount 

 of strong licrht. 



P. s. serratifolium — ser-ra-tif-oF-i-um (having saw-toothed leaves), 

 Brackenridge. 



This variety differs from the typical species in having the leaflets of its 

 fronds deeply toothed. 



P. SUbdigitatum— sub-dig-it-a'-tum (almost digitate), Blume. 



A beautiful and well-marked, greenhouse species, native of Northern 

 India, being found in Nepaul and Sikkim at elevations varying between 

 7000ft. and 8000ft. Its ample, much-divided fronds, borne on firm, naked 

 stalks 1ft. or more in length, are 2ft. or more in length and 1ft. to lift, broad. 

 The lower leaflets are the largest, frequently measuring 9in. in length and 

 4in. in breadth. The leaflets are cut into spear-shaped leafits often 2in. long, 

 which in their turn are subdivided into segments with blunt lobes. They 



