348 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



lift, to 2ft. long, oblong-lanceolate (oblong- spear-shaped), and furnished with 

 spear-shaped pinnules (leafits), which are Bin. to 4in. long and about lin. 

 broad, borne on short stalks, and divided into oblong, obtuse segments of 

 various natures, the lowest borne on short stalks and the central ones cuneate 

 (wedge-shaped) at their base. The segments are of a thin, papery texture, 

 green on both sides, the lower ones bearing a few scales on the ribs. The 

 very small sori (spore masses) are sub-costular (disposed nearly on the midrib 

 of the fertile segments). — Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, p. 460. 



A. Bongardiana— Bon-gar-di-a'-na (Bongard's). A form of A. lunulata. 



A. capensis — ca-pen'-sis (native of the Cape of Good Hope), J. Smith. 



The plant thus named by J. Smith, and extensively known in commerce 

 and in private collections under that name, and also as Amphicosmia capensis 

 of Moore, is really Hemitelia capensis of Brown, which is described further on. 



A. caracasana — car-ac'-as-a'-na (from Caracas), Klotzsch. 



A stove species, native of the Andes of Columbia, with fronds ample, 

 tripinnatifid (divided three times half-way to the midrib), with strap-shaped 

 pinnas (leaflets) l£ft. to 2ft. long. The pinnules (leafits) are nearly stalkless, 

 oin. to 4in. long, lin. broad, of a thick but not leathery texture, and bright 

 green on both sides ; they are again divided into blunt, close, toothed 

 segments only two to three lines broad, on which the sori (spore masses) are 

 disposed nearly on the midrib. — Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, p. 457. 



A. caudata — cau-da'-ta (tailed), J. Smith. 



This stove species, native of Luzon Island, has a certain affinity with 

 A. contaminans, and, as J. Smith thinks, with A. lunulata. It is, however, 

 readily distinguished from these species, as indeed from all others, by the 

 extremely peculiar character of its pinnules (leafits), which are sessile 

 (stalkless), oblong-lanceolate (oblong-spear-shaped), broadest at the base, and 

 have their apex (extremity) suddenly contracted into a long, narrow, serrated 

 (toothed like a saw r ), tail-like, tapering point. The lobes, equally serrated, are 

 somewhat sickle-shaped, and the sori (spore masses) are situated close to the 

 midrib on their lower half. This species is not spiny. — Hooker, Species 

 Filicum, i., p. 52, t. 20b. 



