388 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



Culture. 



Vittarias succeed well in sandy peat and under the influence of a moist, 

 stove temperature. Their propagation is usually effected by division of the 

 crowns. 



Principal Species. 



V. (EUYittaria) elongata — Eu-vit-ta'-ri-a ; e-long-a'-ta (lengthened), 

 Swartz. 



This species, also known in gardens under the names V. ensiformis, 

 V. zoster mfolia, and others, is found in the Himalayas, New South Wales, 

 Ceylon, the Mascarene Islands, and the Seychelles, and on the Guinea Coast. 

 Its fronds, Gin. to 18in. long, but seldom more than Jin. broad, are either 

 sharp-pointed or bluntish at their summit, their lower part being narrowed, 

 very gradually to the base ; they are of a somewhat leathery texture, with 

 the midrib faint or distinct. The spore masses are quite sunk in a marginal 

 groove, with two nearly equal lips, which open outwards. — Hooker, Synopsis 

 Filicum, p. 395. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, iv., p. 188. Lowe, 

 Ferns British and Exotic, ii., t. 65b. Beddome, Ferns of Southern India, t. 21. 



V. ensiformis — en-sif-or'-mis (sword -shaped). Synonymous with V. elongata. 



Y. (Tseniopsis) falcata — Tam-i-op'-sis ; fal-ca'-ta (sickle- shaped), Kunze. 



In this species, native of Malaysia, the fronds, 4in. to 5in. long and Jin. 

 broad, are blunt at their summit and their l^er part is gradually narrowed 

 to the base ; they are of a leathery and very thick texture, with a distinct, 

 raised midrib extending to the summit in the barren fronds, but lost in the 

 fertile ones. — Hooher, Species Filicum, v., p. 182. 



V. filifolia— fi-lif-oh-i-a (having thread-like leaves). A synonym of V. lineata. 



V. (TaBniopsis) Gardneriana— Tam-i-op'-sis ; Gard-ner-i-a'-na (Gardner's), 

 Fee. 



A species native of the Organ Mountains, Brazil, with fronds 1ft. or more 

 in length, Jin. broad, sharp-pointed at their summit, gradually narrowed at 

 the base to a short, slender stem j they are of a very thin texture and show 

 a slender, immersed midrib extending from the base to the summit. The spore 



