ACROSTICHUM. 



183 



firm, erect stipes (stalks), 4in. to 6in, long, and scaly throughout, are from 

 lft. to 2ft. long and fully 1ft. broad, deltoid (in form of the Greek delta, A) 

 and simply pinnate (divided to the midrib), with their upper pinnte (leaflets) 

 slightly lobed, truncate (terminating abruptly) on the lower side at the base, 

 6in. to Sin. long, and 4in. to 6in. broad, usually furnished with small 

 pinnules (leafits) on each side. The fertile fronds are lft. long, deltoid, and 

 thrice pinnate. See Fig. 21— Hooker, Sp>ecies Filicum, v., p. 245. Nicholson, 

 Dictionary of Gardening, i., p. 19. 



Although its fertile fronds are said to be sub-quadripinnatifid (four 

 times nearly divided to the midrib) at the base, the Peruvian A. (Polybotrya) 

 nutans, Kunze, appears to be closely related to this species. 



A. (Gymnopteris) alienum— Gym-nop'-ter-is ; al-i-e'-num (foreign), 

 Swartz. 



The fronds of this handsome and distinct stove species (native of tropical 

 America, Cuba and Mexico to North Peru and the Amazon Valley) are pro- 

 duced from a woody rhizome (prostrate stem), and are borne on stalks 6in. 

 to 8in. long, and scaly downwards. Although of a similar shape, and of the 

 same papyraceous (paper-like) texture, the barren and fertile fronds are very 

 different in size : the former, from lift, to 2ft. long, and often lft. broad, 

 have their upper part deeply pinnatifid (the divisions of the pinnaa not 

 extending quite to the stalk or rachis), with lanceolate (spear-shaped) lobes, 

 while the lower part is pinnate (divided to the midrib), with lower pinnae 

 entire (uncut) or deeply pinnatifid. The fertile fronds, which are much smaller 

 than the barren ones, are furnished with distant (not close), narrow -linear 

 (considerably longer than broad) or pinnatifid, leafy pinnse (leaflets). — Hooker, 

 Species Filicum, v., p. 272. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, i., p. 18. 



A. alpestre — al-pest'-re (alpine), Gardner. 



A species of botanical interest, native of the Organ Mountains, Brazil. — 

 Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, p. 405. 



A. amygdalifolium — am-yg'-dal-if-ol'-i-um (Almond-leaved), Mettenius. 



A species with dissimilar fronds of small dimensions, native of Costa 

 Rica. — Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, p. 520. 



