186 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



rhizome (prostrate stem), and are borne on very scaly stems. — Beddome, Ferns 

 of Southern India, t. 195. 



A. assurgens — as-sur'-gens (ascending), Baker. 



A species of small dimensions, native of the Andes of New Granada, 

 Ecuador. — Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, p. 409. 



A. Aubertii— Au-ber'-ti-i (Aubert's), Desvaux. 



This very distinct and well-marked stove species, in the way of the 

 commoner A. viscosum, from which, however, it differs in texture and clothing 

 (coating of its fronds), is a native of Bourbon, Natal, Guatemala, Venezuela, 

 &c. The barren fronds, 1ft. or more in length, are borne on stems 4in. to 

 6in. long, clothed with squarrose (rough), linear (much longer than broad), 

 brown scales ; the fertile ones, only 2in. to 3in. long, are suddenly narrowed 

 at the base, and borne on stems 6in. to 9in. long. They are produced on 

 a woody, short -creeping, prostrate stem, densely covered with scales similar 

 to those clothing the stems. See Plate.— Hooker, Species Filicum, v., p. 219. 



A. (Chrysodium) aureo-nitens — Chry-so'-di-uni ; au'-re-o-nit'-ens 

 (golden-shining), Hooker. 

 A stove species from Galapos, very distinct on account of the singular 

 combination of an entire (uncut), spathulate (spoon-shaped) barren frond, with a 

 pinnate (divided to the midrib) fertile one. — Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, p. 421. 



A. (Chrysodium) aureum — Chry-so'-di-mn ; au'-re-um (golden), 

 Linnaeus. 



One of the best and most distinct of all known Acrostichums. From 

 an erect caudex (stem) the massive fronds of this noble, strong-growing 

 Fern, which is found in a wild state in swampy places all over the tropics 

 of both hemispheres, are produced abundantly. They are borne on strong, 

 erect stems, 1ft. to 2ft. high, and their leafy portion frequently measures 

 4ft. to 5ft. in length ; they are of a coriaceous (leathery) texture, and of a 

 particularly brilliant and pleasing green colour, pinnate (divided to the midrib), 

 with barren and usually stalked pinna3 (leaflets) 3in. to 9in. long, and some- 

 times 3in. broad. The fructification in this highly decorative species is limited 



