184 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



A. (Polybotrya) apiifolium— Pol-yb-ot'-ry-a ■ ap-i-if-ol'-i-um (Parsley- 

 leaved), Hooker. 



This pretty, though very dwarf, stove species, from the Philippine Islands, 

 is totally distinct from all other Acrostichums, on account of its habit, which 

 greatly resembles that of an Anemia. The barren fronds, 4in. to 6in. each 

 way, are borne on stems about 2in. long, erect, and densely clothed with 

 tomentum (short, woolly hairs) ; they are tripinnate (three times divided to 

 the midrib), with pinnas (leaflets) close, the lowest pair only having pinnatifid 

 pinnules (leafits divided not quite to the midrib), while the ultimate divisions 

 are oblong- rhomboidal, their outer edge slightly toothed. The fertile fronds are 

 borne on a slender and entirely naked stem, Gin. to Sin. long ; they are 

 panicled (furnished with distinct, branching peduncles), with a few distant, 

 slender, either simple (uncut) or compound (set together) branches. Both, are 

 produced on a stout, woody, erect caudex (upright stem). — Hooker, Species 

 Filicum, v., p. 248. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, i., p. 18. 



A. (Elaphoglossum) apodum — El-aph-og-los'-sum ; ap'-od-um (stem- 

 less), Kaulfuss. 



A very interesting and ornamental stove species, native of the West Indies 

 to Brazil and Peru. Its barren fronds, 1ft. long, 2in. broad, are produced 

 from a thick, woody caudex (upright stem) densely covered with linear 

 (long and very narrow), crisped, brown scales, and have a very hairy appear- 

 ance, produced by the short, brown hairs with which the edges and midrib 

 are densely fringed. The fertile ones are much smaller, but both are of a sub- 

 coriaceous (almost leathery), thin texture. — Hooker, Species Filicum, v., p. 213. 

 Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, i., p. 18. 



A. (Egenolfia) appendiculatum — Eg-en-olf-i-a ; ap-pen-dic-ul-a'-tum 

 (having an appendage), Willdenow. 

 This highly decorative stove species produces from a firm, woody, 

 rhizome (prostrate stem), barren fronds, l^ft. to 2ft. long and 6in. to 8in. broad, 

 simply pinnate (cut down to the midrib), with winged rachis (stalk provided 

 on each side with membranous expansions), and proliferous (bearing young 

 plants on leaflets) at their apex ; they are borne on erect stems, 4in. to 6in. 

 long, naked or slightly scaly. The pinnse (leaflets), Sin. to 4in. long and nearly 



