432 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



the stems ; those of the upper plane are minute, egg-shaped, and sharp-pointed. 

 The fruiting spikes are square and |in. to Jin. long. S. V. dichrous is a form 

 with foliage bright red beneath. — Baker, Handbook of the Fern- Allies, p. 100. 



S.. Wallichii— Wal-lich'-i-i (Wallich's), Spring. 



A most distinct, stove species, native of the Eastern Himalayas, Malaysia, 

 and New G-uinea. Its beautifully-branched stems, of upright habit and 2ft. 

 to 3ft. long, have pinnate branches invariably simple and Gin. to 9in. long. 

 The leaves of the lower plane are crowded, oblong-spear-shaped, pointed at 

 the upper corner, and equal-sided, the upper ones growing gradually smaller ; 

 those of the upper plane, one-fourth as long, are shortly sharp-pointed and 

 much overlap. The colour of the whole plant, which makes a magnificent 

 specimen, is shining dark green, and the point of each branchlet is adorned 

 with a square fruiting spike about lin. long. When well grown, S. Wallichii 

 resembles a good specimen of Gleichenia flabellata. — Baker, Handbook of the 

 Fern-Allies, p. 90. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, iii., p. 412. 



S. WilldenOYii — Will-den-o'-vi-i (Willdenow's), Baker. 



This is not the S. Willdenovii of gardens, the plant usually found in 

 commerce under that name being S. Braunii of Baker. The species here 

 described is that which in commerce is grown under the names of S. ca?sia 

 arborea and S. laevigata. It is an exceedingly robust-growing and equally 

 beautiful, stove species, native of the Himalayas, Cochin China, and Malaysia. 

 The strong stems climb to a length of 20ft. or more ; they are furnished with 

 lateral branches 1ft. to 2ft. long and divided into short branchlets. The beauty 

 of this species resides in the magnificent peacock-blue colour of its foliage : this 

 is intensified when the plant is grown in a moist, shady place, for it then 

 assumes a bright metallic colour, sometimes reflecting a most lovely blue. The 

 fruiting spikes are square and Jin. to lin. long. — Baker, Handbook of the 

 Fern-Allies, p. 93. Nicholson,' Dictionary of Gardening, iii., p. 412. 



