ACROSTICHUM. 



231 



is of a woody nature and densely covered with long, narrow scales of a 

 dark reddish-brown colour. There exists also a three-lobed form of this 

 species commonly known as A. trilobum (trik-ob-um). — Hooker, Species 

 Filicum, v., p. 279. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, i., p. 20. 



A. tahitense — ta-hi-ten'-se (native of Tahiti), Carruthers. 



A small-growing, stove species, of purely botanical interest, which, as its 

 name indicates, is a native of Tahiti. — Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, p. 522. 



A. Tatei — Ta'-te-i (Tate's), Baker. 



This stove species, native of Nicaragua, is easily distinguished from all 

 others of similar habit through its filiform (thread-like) rhizome (prostrate 

 stem), which is long-trailing, and thinly clothed with broad, spear-shaped scales 

 of a peculiar brown colour. The barren fronds are gradually narrowed to 

 both ends, about Sin. long, and borne on rough, straw-coloured stipes (stalks) ; 

 the fertile ones are rather shorter and narrower, but are borne on stalks of 

 same size. — Hooker,' Synopsis Filicum, p. 518. 



A. tectum — tec-tum (covered), Willdenow. 



A distinct, if not very decorative, stove species, whose habitat extends 

 from Mexico and the West Indies to South Brazil and Peru. It is distinguished 

 by its long barren fronds, of a leathery texture, which are narrowed gradually 

 to both ends, and the upper surface of which is nearly or quite naked, while 

 their under-surface is clothed with small, thin scales, of a brown colour and 

 darker in the centre. — Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, p. 410. 



A. (Stenochlaena) tenuifolium — Sten-och-lsc'-na ; ten-u-if-oF-I-um 

 (narrow-leaved), Baker. 

 This stove species, native of the Mascarene Islands and Natal, is not 

 only a very decorative Fern, but one which is also easily distinguished from 

 all others by the conformation of its fertile fronds. These, instead of 

 being simply pinnate (only once divided to the midrib) and contracted, are 

 twice pinnate ; the pinnce are borne on somewhat long stalks, and furnished 

 with numerous pinnules (sub -divisions) 2in. to 3in. long and lin. to ljin. 

 broad, spreading from the rachis or stalk at right angles. The barren fronds 



