342 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



masses) are situated on their inferior mid vein. —Hooker, Species Filicum, 

 i., p. 41. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, i., p. 54. Lowe, Ferns British 

 and Exotic, viii., t. 65. 



A. eethiopica — reth-i-op'-ic-a (Ethiopian), Welwitsch. 



A very peculiar and well-marked, African, stove species, also known as 

 A. Currori, native of Angola and Grolungo alto, where it is found at various 

 elevations between 1000ft. and 2400ft. Its trunk, 3ft. to 6ft. high, has a 

 strange appearance, produced by large tubercles, which are the scars left by 

 the fallen fronds. The fronds are of a firm texture and dark green : they 

 measure 4ft. or more in length, are broadly spear-shaped, and are of. a smooth 

 nature, except on the ribs, which are hairy -on both sides. The pinna? (leaflets) 

 are 8in. to lOin. long and sub-sessile (nearly stalkless) ; the lowest are 

 again pinnate, while the others are deeply pinnatifid (divided half-way to 

 their midrib), with lobes fin. long and more or less coarsely serrated 

 (toothed like a saw). The veins in the pinnules (leafits) are forked, and 

 the round and numerous sori (spore masses) are situated at the forks 

 nearer the rib than the margin of the fertile pinnules. — Hooker, Synopsis 

 Filicum, p. 44. 



A. alternans — al-tern'-ans (alternated), Hooker. 



A stove species, native of Penang, with ample, sub- coriaceous (almost 

 leathery), sub-tripinnate (nearly three times divided) fronds of a smooth 

 nature, the rachis (stalk of the leafy portion) of which, equally smooth, is of 

 a tawny-brown colour. Their principal pinna? (leaflets), set somewhat far 

 apart and borne on short footstalks, are from lOin. to 14in. long and 2in. to 

 3in. broad, oblong in shape, terminating in a sharp point, and deeply pinnatifid 

 (divided half-way to their midrib), except those at the base, which are again 

 pinnate. The pinnules (leafits) are lin. to ljin. long, oblong, pointed, 

 undivided, stalkless, and serrated (dented like a saw) at the margin. The 

 nearly round, compact sori (spore masses) are mixed with numerous jointed 

 hairs, and are sub-biseriate (disposed on nearly two rows on each fertile 

 pinnule). — Hooker, Species Filicum, i., p. 29. Beddome, Ferns of British 

 India, t. 236. 



A. alutacea — al-ut-a'-ce-a (resembling soft leather). A form of A. infesta. 



