PTERIS. 



277 



both surfaces. The involucre covering the spore masses is broad, pale, and 

 of a parchment-like texture. — Hooker, Species Filicum, ii., p. 166. Nicholson, 

 Dictionary of Gardening, iii., p. 242. 



P. Hookeriana — Hook-er-i-a'-na (Hooker's), Agardh. 



This stove species, of small dimensions, is a native of Adam's Peak, 

 Ceylon, where it occurs at about 2000ft. elevation. Its fronds, 9in. to 12in. 

 long and 6in. to 9in. broad, are borne on naked, erect, pale stalks 6in. to 

 12in. long ; they are composed of a long, entire terminal leaflet and from 

 two to six pairs of stalkless, opposite lateral ones, the lowest of which is 

 forked at the base on one or on both sides. The fronds are of a leathery 

 texture, naked on both surfaces, and the narrow involucre covering the 

 spore masses is of a brownish colour. — Hooker, Species Filicum, ii., p. 165. 

 Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, hi., p. 242. Beddome, Ferns of Southern 

 India, t. 40. 



P. (Litobrochia) incisa— Li-tob-roch'-i-a ; in-ci'-sa (cut), Thunberg. 



This strong-growing, thoroughly distinct, greenhouse species, which, in 

 gardens, is better known under the name of Litobrochia vespertilionis, or 

 "Bat-winged Fern," has a very wide range of habitat. According to Lowe, 

 it is a native of Australia and New Zealand, and was raised from spores in 

 the Royal Gardens, Kew, in 1838 ; but it is also found all over Tropical 

 America, from the West Indies and Columbia, southward to Chili, Juan 

 Fernandez, and Brazil; on the Himalayas, in Cape Colony, in West Tropical 

 Africa, &c. Its handsome fronds, often several feet long, are bi- or tripinnate 

 (twice or three times divided to the rachis) and borne on stout, erect, polished, 

 straw-coloured or light brown stalks, sometimes slightly rough towards the 

 base. The uppermost leaflets only are simply pinnate, those next in order 

 being divided into numerous deeply-cleft leafits 2in. to 3in. long and opposite, 

 the lowest often quite close to the stalk ; all are of a soft, papery texture, 

 pale green above, and of a glaucous (bluish-green) colour beneath. The sori 

 (spore masses), which are sometimes interrupted and sometimes form a con- 

 tinuous line, often reach the point of the leafits. — Hooker, Species Filicum, 

 ii., p. 230. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, hi., p. 242. Lowe, Ferns 

 British and Exotic, hi., t. 44. 



