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POLYPODIUM. 



227 



Jin. broad, and cut down nearly to the rachis into lobes nearly as broad as 

 deep, irregular in shape, and notched on their upper edge ; their texture is 

 somewhat leathery, their colour pale green, and they are naked on both sides. 

 The large and conspicuous spore masses are arranged one to three in the 

 centre of the lobes. — Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, p. 324. 



P. trichodes — trich-o'-des (hair-like), Reinwardt. 



The natural habitat of this magnificent, delicate -looking, greenhouse species 

 is somewhat doubtful, for, while Nicholson gives it as a native of the East 

 Indies and dates its introduction into this country to 1840, Lowe states that 

 " P. trichodes came up spontaneously at the Royal Gardens, Kew, in the .year 

 1849." In general appearance it is not unlike a gigantic Asplenium (Athyrium) 

 Filix-foemina. Its handsome fronds, borne on strong stalks scaly at the base 

 and hairy upwards, are from 3ft. to 5ft. long, twice or three times divided to 

 the midrib, and furnished with finely-cut, bluntly-lobed segments ; they are 

 of a soft, papery texture, vivid green in colour, and smooth on both sides. 

 The abundant round, brownish spore masses are disposed one to five to 

 a segment. — Lowe, Ferns British and Exotic, ii., t. 2. Nicholson, Dictionary 

 of Gardening, iii., p. 194. 



P. trichomanoides — trich-om-an-o-i'-des (Trichomanes-like), Swartz. 



A stove species, of little decorative value, its simply -pinnate fronds, of 

 a somewhat leathery texture and slightly hairy on both sides, being seldom 

 more than 4in. long, and borne on tufted, short stalks clothed with soft, 

 spreading hairs. It is a native of Cuba, Brazil, Ecuador, Juan Fernandez, 

 Ascension Island, &c. — Hooker, Species Filicum, iv., p. 178. Nicholson, 

 Dictionary of Gardening, iii., p. 194. Beddome, Ferns of British India, t. 2. 



P. (Niphobolus) tricuspe — Niph-ob'-ol-us • tric-us'-pe (three-pointed), 

 Swartz. 



This greenhouse species, native of Japan and Korea, is the only one of 

 the group in which the fronds are not quite entire. These are produced from 

 a stout, woody rhizome, and borne on firm, erect stalks Gin. to Sin. long. 

 Their leafy portion, 2in. to 4in. each way, halbert-shaped, and of a leathery 

 texture, is naked and dark green on their upper surface, and densely matted 



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