ALSOPHILA. 



357 



divided to the midrib), bright green, more or less densely clothed on both 

 surfaces with longish white hairs. Their primary pinnse (principal leaflets) 

 are 16in. to 18in. long and 4in. to 6in. broad, oblong, terminating in a long, 

 tapering point, furnished with sessile pinnules (stalkless leafits) that are set 

 closely together, 2jin. to Sin. long, five to six lines broad, and deeply 

 pinnatifid (divided so nearly to their midrib as to be almost pinnate). The 

 lobes thus formed, also deeply pinnatifid, are equally set so close together 

 that the space between them can scarcely be seen except when a frond is 

 held between the eye and the light. A peculiarity of this species is the 

 shape of the lowest pair of pinnules, which are exactly square and adnate 

 (attached through their whole length on two sides) to the costule (midrib). 

 The small sori (spore masses) are composed of a few capsules, and are 

 peculiar on account of their hairy nature. — Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, p. 36. 



A. infesta — in-fes'-ta (troublesome), Kunze. 



This stove species is a native of Tropical America, where it is widely 

 spread. Its fronds are large and tripinnatifid (three times divided nearly to 

 the midrib), and are borne on long stalks of a peculiarly rough nature ; their 

 rachis (stalk of the leafy portion) is slightly covered with short, brown 

 scales of a soft, downy character. Their pinna3 (leaflets) are 1ft. to lfft, long 

 and oblong-spear-shaped. The pinnules (leafits) are strap-shaped, oin. long, 

 Jin. to fin. broad, of almost leathery texture, dark green on both sides, and 

 cut down to a narrow wing ; their segments (sub-divisions) are equally 

 strap-shaped, |in, broad, blunt, nearly entire. The sori (spore masses) are 

 medial (disposed on the central vein of the fertile segments). — Hooker, Species 

 Filicum, i., p. 42. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, I, p. 56. 



This species is extremely variable, numerous forms of it, differing in size, 

 shape, or disposition of the pinnules, being recorded. Among these we note 

 A. alutacea of Kunze, A. lasiosora of Mettenius, A. phalerata of Martius, &c> 

 The most distinct, however, of all the known forms of A. infesta, and the 

 one most extensively found in cultivation, is the following : 



A. i. Yan-Geertii— Yan-Greert'-i-i (Van Geert's). A commercial name 

 for which we can find no authority. 

 The plant so called is a distinct and highly-ornamental Tree Fern, whose 

 stem or trunk never attains a great height ; it is slender, tortuous, of a bright 



