220 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



A. (Gymnopteris) Preslianum — Gym-nop'-ter-is ; Presl-i -a'-num 



(Presl's), Hooker. 



A stove species, of medium dimensions and of botanical value only, native 

 of the Philippine Islands, but which, however, is also figured in Beddome's 

 "Ferns of British India," t. 69, where it is stated that "it was discovered 

 growing in great abundance on rocks in the bed of a river at the foot of the 

 Bhagamundal Ghat, just below Talle Cavery, and at the confines of Malabar, 

 Coorg, and South Ganara."— Booker, Species Filicum, v., p. 265. 



A. Prestoni— Pres-to'-ni (Preston's), Baker. 



A stove species, from Bio de Janeiro, with simple (undivided) barren 

 fronds, 1ft. to lift, long and 2in. broad, lanceolate (spear-shaped), and 

 bordered on their whole length with a dense, persistent fringe of minute, 

 spear-shaped scales of a brown colour. The stipes (stalks), 6in. to 9in. long, 

 on which they are borne, are equally covered with spreading, brown-black 

 scales, and proceed from a thick, skart- creeping rhizome (prostrate stem) of a 

 woody nature. The fertile fronds, of much smaller dimensions, are borne on 

 longer stalks. — Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, p. 519. 



A. (Polybotrya) pubens — Pol-yb-ot'-ry-a ; pu'-bens (pubescent or 

 downy), Baker. 



• In this robust-growing, stove species, native of Brazil and Pe.-u, the 

 barren fronds, 2ft. to 3ft. long and 1ft. or more broad, are furnished with 

 numerous pinnae (leaflets), the lower ones of which are fully 6in. in length 

 by ljin. in breadth, and cut more than half-way down to the midrib into 

 close, blunt lobes of a leathery texture. The fronds are borne on firm stalks, 

 scaly below, 6in. to 9in. long, and produced from a scaly, woody rhizome 

 (prostrate stem). — Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, p. 414. 



A. (Gymnopteris) punctulatum — Gym-nop'-ter-is ; punc-tul-a'-tum 



(spotted), Swartz. 



A stove species, of purely botanical interest and medium growth, native 

 of the Mascarene Islands, Zambesi-land, &c, with fronds pinnate (divided to 

 the midrib), the barren ones 1ft. to ljft. long and often 1ft. broad, borne on 

 stalks Gin. to 12in. long. — Hooker, Sy?iopsis Filicum, p. 419. 



