270 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



young plants is soon obtained : even without any special care being bestowed 

 upon them they spring up in pots standing around. 



This species has produced under cultivation more forms or variations 

 (some call them monstrosities) which have received distinctive names than 

 any other exotic Fern. Indeed, these have within the last ten years been 

 brought out in such numbers that a very interesting collection may without 

 much trouble be made of A. cuneatum varieties exclusively. But although most 

 of them are very deserving of attention, we must confine ourselves to a 

 selection of fourteen of the best and most distinct forms. 



A. c. Bournei — Bour'-ne-i (Bourne's), Moore. 



A variety with dense, triangular fronds, borne on long, black, shining 

 stalks. — Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, iv., p. 484. 



A. C. deflexum — de-flex'-um (deflexecl), Moore. 



This very distinct form, of garden origin, with its triangular fronds, 

 three or four times divided to the midrib, furnished with lobed and deflexed 

 pinnules (segments), attracted the late Mr. Thomas Moore's attention to 

 such an extent that in his description of this supposed hybrid in the 

 " Gardeners' Chronicle " for 8th December, 1883, he says : " This goes far to 

 support the ideas of those who believe in the crossing of Ferns, whether the 

 process is truly described by the term hybridisation or not. It was raised 

 between A. cuneatum and A. Bausei, the latter also a so-called hybrid Fern. 

 The characteristics of the two sorts are unmistakably blended in the new form, 

 which has the densely-fronded, stocky growth of A. cuneatum, with its 

 spreading fronds and cuneate (wedge-shaped) pinnules (leafits or segments), 

 with the singularly-deflexed pinnules of A. Bausei : this hanging position 

 of the pinnules gives the plant a very distinct appearance. The plants are 

 dense and compact in growth, on which account they are well adapted for 

 grouping in small baskets and jardinettes. Their bright and cheerful green 

 colour adds much to its value as a decorative Fern." To these remarks we 

 may add that from personal observation we are convinced that this singular 

 variety, like both its supposed parents, reproduces itself perfectly true from 

 spores. See Plate (for which we are indebted to Messrs. J. Veitch and Sons). 

 — Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, iv., p. 484. 



