FILMY OR TRANSPARENT FERNS. 



77 



improved by the effect of a more genial atmosphere, a unique specimen of 

 the New Zealand kidney-shaped Fern, Trichonianes reniforme, measuring fully 

 3ft. across, with a perfect mass of its curiously-shaped and very transparent 

 fronds, new and old, not only testifying to the excellent treatment received, 

 but also showing the suitability of the spot selected for it, by the innumerable 

 rhizomes which have extended on all sides, and which, gathering additional 

 strength as they grow, form a perfect mass ot vegetation. It is singular that 

 a plant of such size, and in such good condition, should be so very sparing 

 of fertile fronds ; but only two of these have been recorded as having been 

 produced previous to the transfer of the plant to Kew. 



The Forster Collection comprises also the best and largest known 

 specimen of the lovely little Trichomanes parvidum, from Japan, one of the 

 choicest Filmy Ferns, of small growth, with exceedingly pretty miniature 

 palm-like fronds of a particularly dark green colour, yet very transparent. 

 This most interesting little Fern was imported, quite accidentally, in 1880, 

 on a block of wood covered with Dendrobium japonicum, and it is still 

 growing on the original block, from which the Dendrobiums have been 

 detached. T. venosum, from New Zealand, T. exsectum, from Chili, and 

 T. humile, from Java, thrive equally well under the same treatment as that 

 to which the Killarney Fern, T. radicans, and its varieties, Andrewsii, 

 concinnum, dUatatum, and dissectum, are subjected. 



With regard to Hymenophyllums, the same sympathy exists to a similar 

 degree among plants of various origin. Thus the temperature which suits 

 our own British species, H. Tunbridgense and II. unilaterale (Wilsoui), also 

 appears to meet all the requirements of II. ceruginosum, II. demissum 

 (productum), H. dilatatum., II. pulcherrimum, H. scabrum, and others from 

 New Zealand ; and of II. asplenioides, H. cluloense, II. (Hymenoglossum) 

 omentum, II. dichotomum, IT. fuciforme, II. pectinatum, and others from 

 Chili and Mexico ; as well as those of H. caudicidatum, and of the magnificent 

 II. Forsterianum, which last, to all appearances, seems to be but a much 

 larger and more vigorous -growing form of H. caudicidatum, and which, 

 like that species, is a native of Brazil, whence it was accidentally introduced 

 among some Cattleyas in or about 1874. 



All the Todeas, whether the New Caledonian T. Fraseri and its Fijian 

 variety Wtikesiana, the beautiful New Zealand species, T. hymenophylloides 



