202 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



A. Fraseri— Fra'-ser-i (Fraser's), Mettenius. 



A dwarf, greenhouse species, of purely botanical interest, native of the 

 Andes of Columbia and Ecuador. It has fronds entire (uncut), of a sub- 

 char taceous (parchment-like) texture, about 2in. long, and covered on both 

 surfaces with red-brown bristles. — Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, p. 520. 



A. furfuraceum— fur-fur-a'-ce-um (scurfy), Mettenius. 



A stove species, native of Costa Rica, of little decorative value, but very 

 peculiar through the nature of its short fronds, which are entirely covered on 

 both surfaces with scales, rigid, and of a reddish-brown colour, except on the 

 midrib, where they are very nearly black. — Hooker, Synopsis Filicum,, p. 523. 



A. (Gymnopteris) gaboonense — Gym-nop'-ter-is ; gab-oon-en'-se 

 (native of Gaboon), Hooker. 

 A stove, botanical species, from the Guinea Coast, with barren fronds 

 about 1ft. long, sometimes proliferous (producing young plants) at their 

 extremity, and fertile ones much smaller. — Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, p. 417. 



A. (Elaphoglossum) Gardnerianum— El-aph-og-los'-sum ; Gard-ner- 

 i-a'-num (Gardner's), Fee. 

 The barren fronds of this greenhouse species, native of Brazil and 

 Venezuela, seldom exceed Sin. in length, including the firm, erect stems on 

 which they are borne, and which, like the upper surface of the blade itself, 

 are densely clothed with large scales of a mealy nature and pale brown colour. 

 — Hooker, Species Filicum, v., p. 233. Lowe, Ferns British and Exotic, vii., t. 58. 



A. glabratum— glab-ra'-tum (smooth), Mettenius. 



A dwarf, stove species of purely botanical interest, native of New Cale- 

 donia, with barren fronds spathulate (spoon-shaped), about 2in. long, and 

 fertile ones linear (long and very narrow), 4in. to 5in. long, and only two 

 lines broad. — Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, p. 518. 



A.- (Aconiopteris) gorgoneum — Ac-on-i-op'-ter-is ; gor-go'-ne-um 

 (Gorgon-like), Kaulfuss. 

 A stove species of little decorative value, native of the Sandwich and 

 Society Islands. Its barren fronds are nearly stalkless, entire (uncut), and 



