222 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



somewhat sickle -shaped segments, along the margins of which the spore 

 masses are disposed in a regular line, and so closely as to eventually become 

 confluent. — Lowe, Ferns British and Exotic, ii., t. 49. 



P. SUbpetiolatum— sub-pet-i-ol-a'-tum (short-stalked), Hooker. 



This robust-growing, stove species is a native of Mexico, Guatemala, and 

 Cuba, and, according to Lowe, was introduced into the Royal Gardens, Kew, 

 in 1845. Its simply-pinnate fronds, of a particularly arching habit, are 

 produced from a stout, underground, fleshy rhizome, densely clothed with 

 rusty-brown scales. They are borne on very short stalks, measure 3ft. or 

 more in length and 6in. to Sin. in breadth, and are furnished with numerous 

 closely-set leaflets 3in. to 4in. long and destitute of a footstalk. The leaflets 

 are bluntish at their extremity, rounded or slightly eared at the base, of 

 a pale green colour, and peculiarly soft in texture. The spore masses are 

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

 iv., p. 220. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, iii., p. 194. Lowe, Ferns 

 British and Exotic, ii., t. 11. 



P. S. biserratum— bis-er-ra'-tum (twice-serrated), Mertens and Galeotti. 



Mr. Baker gives this as merely a variety of the above, with fronds much 

 more elongated, leaflets more numerous, and spore masses more distant. — 

 Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, p. 337. 



P. SUbpinnatifidum — sub-pin-na-tif-id-um (somewhat deeply cleft), 

 Hooker. 



A small-growing, stove species, native of Java and the Sandwich Islands. 

 It has almost stalkless fronds, 4in. to 6in. long, cut down nearly to the 

 rachis into lobes, the upper edge of which is nearly straight and horizontal, 

 and the lower one very oblique ; they are of a somewhat leathery texture 

 and naked on both sides. The spore masses are disposed one in each 

 lobe. — Hooker, Species Filicum, iv., p. 177. 



P. subserratum — sub-ser-ra'-tum (somewhat saw-edged), Hooker. 



This stove sj)ecies, native of Borneo, produces from a creeping rhizome 

 fronds 8in. long and 2in. broad, cut down nearly to the rachis into close, 



