426 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



moist forests of Oregon. The stems are pendent, of a peculiarly flaccid nature, 

 lft. or more in length, and much branched. The leaves, uniform on both 

 planes, are narrow-spear-shaped, deep green, grooved on the backs, and sharp- 

 pointed, but not bristle-tipped. The slender, square fruiting spikes resemble 

 the sterile branchlets. — Baker, Handbook of the Fern-Allies, p. 35. 



S. patula — pat'-ul-a (spreading), Spring. 



A greenhouse species, of small dimensions, native of Jamaica and common 

 in cultivation. Its slender, trailing stems, of a pale colour and 6in. to 9in. 

 long, are angled on the faces, with a long, whip-like tip and numerous 

 closely-arranged branchlets. It grows very close to the ground, and is at 

 once distinguished from the better-known S. serpens by its tail-like or whip- 

 like stem, and by its fewer but more divided branches. The fruiting spikes 

 are abundantly produced, square, and Jim. to Jin. long. — Baker, Handbook of 

 the Fern-Allies, p. 46. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, hi., p. 411. 



S. perelegans — per-e'-leg-ans (very elegant). A variety of S. incequalifolia. 



S. PerYillei— Per-vil'-le-i (Perville's). Another name for S. Vogelii. 



S. pilifera — pil-if'-er-a (hair-bearing), A. Braun. 



A greenhouse species, belonging to the rosulatod section, and rare in 

 cultivation. It is a native of the plateau of Central Mexico, where it is found 

 at 6000ft. to 8000ft. elevation. The stems are densely tufted, Bin. to 4in. 

 long, and copiously divided, the branching of all grades being midway between 

 pinnate and fan-shaped. This species appears to be intermediate between the 

 two popular species, S. involvens and S. lepidophylla. — Baker, Handbook of the 

 Fern-Allies, p. 88. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, iii., p. 411. 



S. platyphylla — plat-yph-yr'-la (flat-leaved). A synonym of S. grandis. 



S. plumosa — plu-mo'-sa (feathery), Baker. 



This stove species, of medium dimensions, has a wide range of habitat, 

 being found on the Eastern Himalayas and the mountains of the Indian 

 Peninsula and Ceylon, also in Burmah, Malaysia, South China, &c. Its 

 pale-coloured, trailing stems, Gin. to 12in. long, often forked low down, are 

 profusely branched, and their branches are copiously divided again, with 



