ALSOPHILA. 



341 



Principal Species and Varieties. 



A. aculeata — ac-u-le-a'-ta (prickly), J. Smith. 



This very effective, stove species, which is also known under the name 

 of A. ferox, is found widely distributed through the whole of Tropical 

 America and the West Indian Islands. Though somewhat coarse-looking, 

 it is an elegant Fern, remarkable for the lengthy, sharp thorns with which 

 its trunk is profusely armed, and which extend in a lesser degree to the 



Fig. 50. Alsophila aculeata 



(much reduced). 



entire length of the stipes (stalks) of its fronds, which frequently attain from 

 5ft. to 7ft. in length. These fronds are tripinnate (three times divided to 

 the midrib) and have their rachis (stalk of the leafy portion) of a brown 

 colour. The pinnae (leaflets) are ovate-lanceolate (between egg- and spear- 

 shaped), lft. to lift, long, and furnished with stalkless pinnules (leafits) of 

 thin texture, of a dark green colour, deeply pinnatifid (divided half-way to 

 their midrib) and dented (Fig. 50), and the small and abundant sori (spore 



