CLIMBING, TRAILING, AND DROOPING FERNS. 



67 



growths are entirely covered with large, dark (almost black), chaffy scales, 

 which are persistent until perfect development. The bifurcations are very thickly 

 set at their base with pinnules closely disposed, and forming a sort of frilling 

 round the stalk. The whole of the plant is of a delightful green colour. 



With the exception of G. longissima and G. dichotoma, nearly all the 

 Grleichenias are of erect habit, and though belonging, through the nature of 

 their running rhizomes, to the section Trailing Ferns, have very little in 

 common appearance with the plants forming the scandent or sub-scandent 

 group. Some of the thick -rhizomed species are found spontaneous in cool, 

 and others in warm, regions. They require the same treatment as recom- 

 mended above for other Grleichenias. 



Many Hymenophyllums and Trichomanes possessing rhizomes of a very 

 rambling character should also have been included in this section ; but, special 

 attention to these most interesting plants being drawn in the following 

 chapter, under the heading of " Filmy or Transparent Ferns," it has not been 

 thought necessary to do more than mention them in this instance. Several 

 kinds of Lindsay a, such as L. diver gens, L. lanceolata, L. lanuginosa, 

 L. £)ecti?iata, and L. trapeziformis ; Dichsonia (Cibotium) Barometz (the Vegetable 

 Lamb) ; some Oleandras, such as 0. articidata, 0. nodosa, and 0. Wallichii ; 

 and the exceedingly pretty Pteris scaberida, a New Zealand species, which, 

 for elegance of foliage, rivals any other finely-cut Fern in cultivation, may 

 be said to close this abridged list of Trailing Ferns. 



A selection of over one hundred of the most distinct Ferns of trailing: 

 and of sarmentose habit is here given. Those marked with an asterisk (*) 

 are strong-growing kinds ; the parallel (||) indicates either sarmentose or 

 erect growers ; and, with the exception of the kinds marked with a dagger (f), 

 which require stove temperature, all thrive under greenhouse treatment. For 

 stove and greenhouse temperatures, see page 27. 



Acrostichum acuminatum, 

 alieuum.f 

 appendiculatum . t 

 axillare.f 

 Blumeanum.* 

 canaliculatum.^ 

 cervinurn.t"* 



Acrostichum conforme.t 

 flagellifei'um.f 

 Herminieri.t* 

 latifolium.t 

 nicotian eef olium . t * 

 osmundaceum. f * 

 (Rhipidopteris) peltatum.t 



