PTERIS. 



269 



than a mere variety of either. It is of garden origin and was raised in 

 Mr. J. Ouvrard's Nursery, at Child's Hill, Kiiburn, where both the above- 

 named species were then grown in large quantities. Its very handsome 

 fronds, borne on stalks 1ft. to 2ft. long, are 1ft. to l^ft. long, of upright 

 habit, and very robust. In this way it is very distinct from P. cretica, and 

 it differs essentially from P. umbrosa through its mode of growth, the fronds 

 being produced from a spreading central crown and not from an underground, 

 creeping rhizome, as are those of the latter species. This Fern, which is also 

 sometimes met with in gardens under the name of P. cretica major, is so 

 well appreciated by the decorator that it has, for his purpose, entirely 

 supplanted the two species from which it is supposed to be issue. It is 

 a quicker grower than either of these and reproduces itself true from spores. 



P. C. stenophylla — sten-oph-yl'-la (narrow-leaved), Hooker. 



In this variety, which is not the result of cultivation, but which occurs 

 spontaneously in Northern India and the Philippine Islands,- the fronds are 

 digitate (disposed like fingers), being composed of three to five leaflets only ; 

 these are narrow, entire or nearly so, and clustered at the summit of the 

 stalks. — Hooker and Greville, Icones Filicum, t. 130. Eaton, Ferns of North 

 America, ii., p. 145. 



P. crispa — cris'-pa (curled). The plant found in gardens under this name 

 is synonymous with P. straminea. 



P. (Litobrochia) Currori — Li-tob-roch'-i-a ; Cur-ro'-ri (Dr. Curror's), Hooker. 



This gigantic -growing, stove species, with ample fronds several feet long 

 and 2ft. or more in breadth, borne on stout, erect, naked stalks of a peculiar 

 straw colour, is a native of West Tropical Africa, having been discovered at 

 or near Elephant's Bay, and also on the Mountains of Fernando Po, where it 

 occurs at elevations varying between 3000ft. and 5000ft. The terminal 

 leaflet is deeply lobed • the lateral ones, 16in. long and oin. broad, are 

 numerous and disposed in opposite, stalkless pairs, with the margin deeply and 

 broadly waved. Their texture is soft and papery, and they are slightly hairy 

 on both surfaces. The spore- masses are disposed in numerous patches, which 

 are sometimes interrupted and very short. — Hooker, Species Filicum, ii., p. 232, 

 t. 140. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, iii., p. 241. 



