322 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



rhizome (prostrate stem), and are borne on upright, black, shining stipes 

 (stalks) 6in. to 9in. long. With maturity the fronds become pinnate (once 

 divided to the midrib), the lower pair of pinna? (leaflets) being occasionally 

 divided again ; their pinnae, which are larger than even those of the popular 

 A. macrophyllum and have black, polished footstalks often lin. long, are 

 then ovate (egg-shaped), acuminate (terminating in a sharp point), unequal- 

 sided, and drooping at right angles from the stalk. The barren pinnae are 

 usually finely dented, while the fertile ones show on their outer margin an 

 uninterrupted line of oblong sori (spore masses). The foliage, of a particularly 

 leathery texture, is, when only partly developed, of a bronzy or metallic hue, 

 turning with age to a deep glossy-green above, while the under-surface 

 assumes a very pretty glaucous (bluish-green) or bluish colour, which is 

 retained as long as the fronds last. See Plate (for which we are indebted 

 to Messrs. J. Veitch and Sons). — Hooker, Species Filicum, ii., p. 5, t. 81a. 

 Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, i., p. 28. 



A. sericeum — se-ric'-e-um (silky), Eaton. 



A stove species, native of Cuba, of little decorative value, but interesting 

 on account of the stalks which support its spear-shaped, bipinnate (twice 

 divided) fronds, being densely clothed with fine, spreading hairs of a light 

 brown colour. — Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, p. 473. 



A. serratodentatum — ser-ra'-to-den-ta'-tum (saw-toothed). Apparently 

 synonymous with A. obtusum. 



A. sessilifolium — ses-sil-if-ol'-i-um (stalkless). This is synonymous 

 with A. Henslovianum. 



A. setulosum — se-tul-o'-sum (bristly). A synonym of A. diaphanum. 



A. Shepherdi — Shep-herd'-i (Shepherd's), Hooker. 



This very curious, stove species, native of Mexico, is somewhat similar 

 to A. Galeottianum, but the stalk is quite simple, the form of the pinna? 

 (leaflets) quite different, and the habit peculiar. The fronds are 6in. to 

 12in. long and simply pinnate (only once divided to the midrib), and are 

 borne on black, shining, upright stalks 3in. to 4in. long. The pinnae, fin. 

 broad and Jin. deep, are dimidiate (fully developed on one side of the midrib 



