356 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



A. glabra — glab'-ra (smooth), Hooker. 



This stove species, also known as A. gigantea, is found in Java, the 

 Malay Islands, Ceylon, China, and throughout India, in the southern part 

 of which, according to Beddome, it is found on the Ananiallay Mountains, 

 Coorg, at an elevation of 4000ft. : it is a very robust-growing kind. The 

 stem or trunk is from 20ft. to 40ft. high, and the fronds, of a sub- coriaceous 

 (almost leathery) texture, are borne on stipes (stalks) that are scaly at their 

 base, but, like the main rachis (stalk of their leafy portion), of an ebeneous- 

 purple colour. The primary pinrtse (principal leaflets), 2ft. or more long, 

 are in their upper portion furnished with pinnules (leafits) which are stalkless, 

 whereas those of their lower part are borne on short footstalks : they are 

 oin. to Gin. long, 5in. to Sin. broad, and pinnatifid, being divided half-way to 

 the midrib, rarely more. The lobes or sub -divisions thus formed are either 

 triangular or rounded, rarely egg-shaped, and toothed on their edge like a saw. 

 The sori (spore masses), which are found on most of the lobes, are generally 

 disposed in the shape of an inverted V, which, however, does not extend to 

 the apex (point) of the lobe. — Hooker, Species Filicum, L, p. 51. Beddome, 

 Ferns of Southern India, p. 20, t. 60. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, 

 L, p. 56 (as A. gigantea). 



A. Glasiovil — Glas-i-o'-vi-i (Glaziou's), Baker. 



A handsome, stove, Brazilian species, native of Rio Janeiro, with ample 

 fronds that are bipinnate (twice divided to the midrib). The pinnas (leaflets) 

 are from 1ft. to 1 Jft. long and somewhat spear-shaped ; they are furnished 

 with from twelve to fifteen pairs of distinctly-stalked pinnules (leafits), strap- 

 shaped, 2in. to 2 Jin. long, six to seven lines broad, of a sub -coriaceous 

 (almost leathery) texture, and crenulated (regularly jagged, with rounded 

 teeth) on their edges. The sori (spore masses) are disposed in a single 

 row a short distance from the midrib of the fertile segments. — Hooker, 

 Synopsis Filicum, p. 456. 



A. glauca — glau'-ca (bluish-green). Synonymous with A. contaminans. 



A. Godmani — G-ocV-man-i (Groclman's), Hooker. 



This very distinct, stove species, native of Guatemala, is particularly 

 elegant, especially when in a small state. Its fronds are bipinnate (twice 



