ACROSTICHUM. 



205 



6in. to 12in. long and about 2in. broad, have their base somewhat rounded, 

 and terminate in a tapering point ; they are of a sub -coriaceous (almost 

 leathery) texture, with both surfaces naked, except the midrib beneath, but 

 their edge is abundantly furnished with subulate (awl-shaped) scales. The 

 fertile fronds are much smaller than the barren ones, but both kinds are 

 borne on firm, erect, scaly stipes (stalks), Gin. to 9in. long, proceeding from 

 a rhizome (prostrate stem) of a woody nature, and densely clothed with linear 

 (much longer than wide), crisped scales, of a peculiar dark chestnut-brown 

 colour. — Hooker, Species Filicum, v., p. 210. 



A. laminarioid.es — la-min-a / -ri-o-i / -des (Laminaria-like), Bory. 



This strong-growing, stove species, native of Guiana, is very closely 

 related to A. cuspidatum (cus-pid-a'-tum) of Willdenow, but the upper 

 surface of its barren fronds, instead of being naked, is thinly, and its lower 

 surface densely, coated with minute, ciliated (fringed with hairs) scales, of a 

 grey colour, with a brown dot in the centre. These fronds, which are entire 

 (undivided), and lanceolate (tapering to both ends), frequently attain 2ft. in 

 length and ljin. in breadth ; they are borne on grey stipes (stalks), Gin. to 

 9in. long, of a furfuraceous (scurfy) nature, which are produced from a stout, 

 short -creeping, woody rhizome (prostrate stem), covered with firm, linear (much 

 longer than wide), brown-black scales. — Hooker, Species Filicum, v., p. 235. 



A. (Chry sodium) lanceolatum — Chry-so'-di-um ; lan-ce-ol-a'-tum 

 (spear-shaped), Hooker. 

 A stove species of botanical interest, native of the Philippine Islands, 

 Ceylon, &c. — Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, p. 420. 



A. (Elaphoglossum) latifolium — El-aph-og-los'-sum ; la-tif-ok-i-um 

 (broad-leaved), Swartz. 

 This stove species, to which A. Blanchettii (Blan-chet'-ti-i), A. eallce- 

 folium (cal-las-foF-i-um), A. longifolium (long-if-ok-i-um), and A. tovarense 

 (to-va-ren'-se), are so closely related as to be now admitted as simple varieties 

 of it, has a most extensive habitat, for it is found from Mexico and Cuba 

 to Brazil and Peru, also in Java, and specimens received from the Seychelles 

 probably belong to the same species. Its barren fronds, 1ft. to 1-Jft. long 



