300 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



lines. See Fig. 42.— Hooker, Species Filieum, ii., p : 3. Nicholson, Dictionary 

 of Gardening, L, p. 27. Lowe, Ferns British and Exotic, in., t. 4b. 



This species, which is one of the most decorative of our stove Ferns, 

 requires a liberal supply of water and a shady situation, or it has a 

 wretched appearance, its fronds becoming rapidly spotted. 



A. m. bipinnatum— bip-in-na'-tum (twice pinnate), Moore. 



A handsome variety, native of Jamaica, differing from the typical plant 

 through having its fronds bipinnate (twice divided to the midrib) in the lower 

 part. The pinnules (leafits) and the pinna? (leaflets) of the upper part of 

 the frond partake of the same bright pink colour peculiar to the species when 

 in a young state, although they are of much smaller dimensions.— Nicholson^ 

 Dictionary of Gardening, iv., p. 484. 



A. m. Striatum— stri-a'-tum (striped), Schneider. 



This remarkable variety, which originated among some seedlings raised 

 by Mons. Chartier, at Montmorency, near Paris, is one of the prettiest of all 

 known variegated Ferns. It is as vigorous as the typical A. macrophyllum, 

 the upright habit of which it also possesses. The fronds are simply pinnate 

 (only once divided to the midrib) and furnished with pinna) (leaflets) of 

 dimensions equal to those of the type, but they are irregularly though 

 abundantly splashed and striped with white, which variegation produces a 

 charming effect at all times, more especially when a batch of young, half- 

 developed fronds are on the plant. The mixture of the bright pink, pale 

 green, and white, of the pinna}, and the dark chestnut-brown, almost black 

 colour, of the polished stalks, form a most agreeable contrast with the tint 

 of the mature fronds, on which the variegation remains conspicuous as long- 

 as they last. Until now this pretty variety has not been known to reproduce 

 itself true from spores ; but considering that all, or nearly all, other variegated 

 Ferns are propagated from their own spores, it may reasonably be anticipated 

 that this pretty form will be increased in the same way. 



A. macropterum — mac-rop'-ter-um (long-winged). Synonymous with 

 A. dolosum. 



A. magnificum— mag-nif'-ic-um (magnificent). A variety of A. Capillus- 

 Veneris. 



