ADIANTUM. 



315 



when fully developed they assume a peculiarly pale, fresh green, uncommon 

 among Ferns in general and among Adiantums in particular. — Hooker, Species 

 Filicum, ii., p. 49. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, i., p. 27. 



A. populifolium — po-pul-if-oF-I-urn (Poplar-leaved). Synonymous with 

 A. Seemannii. 



A. princeps — prin'-ceps (princely), Moore. 



A magnificent, stove species, native of New Granada, with fronds 1ft. to 

 2ft. long and 9in. to 18in. across the base, rising from a central tufted crown 

 and borne on stout, black, shining, nearly upright stalks 9in. to 12in. long 

 and very wiry. These fronds are quadripinnate (four times divided to the 

 midrib), and occupy on the plant a horizontal position which distinguishes 

 this species from all others in cultivation. Their lower pinna? (leaflets) are 

 triangular in shape, and have their posterior side three times divided to the 

 midrib, while their anterior side is only bipinnate (twice divided to the midrib). 

 The pinnules (leafits) are lin. long and fin. broad, roundish and shortly 

 stalked ; the one at the end of the pinnae is larger, wedge-shaped at the 

 base, and fan-shaped at the summit : all of them have their basal margin 

 entire (uncut), slightly concave, the anterior margins and apex (point) 

 divided into broad and shallow lobes, minutely serrulate (finely dented) in 

 the sterile parts, and where fertile bearing each a sorus (spore mass) at 

 their extremity, which gives the lobes a two -horned appearance. Not only 

 does this plant possess an unusual degree of boldness of character on account 

 of the size of the fronds and of their pinnules, but it is also remarkably 

 graceful from its fulness of development and from the pendent, or at least 

 horizontal, position which its pale, greyish-green fronds assume when fully 

 developed. It is a species whose roots are of a remarkably brittle nature, 

 and one cannot be too careful, when repotting it, in touching the roots no 

 more than is strictly necessary. — Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, i., p. 28. 



A. prionophyllum — pri-o-noph-yh-luin (saw-leaved). A synonym of 

 A. tetraphyllum. 



A. pubescens — pu-bes'-cens (downy), Schkuhr. 



This greenhouse Fern, native of New Zealand and Australia, though 

 given in the "Synopsis Filicum " as simply synonymous with A. hispiduluni, 



