362 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



lft. long; the pinnules (leafits) are equally spear-shaped, distinctly stalked, 

 2jin. to 3in. long, Jin. broad, and cut down to a narrow wing, smooth, green 

 on both sides, the lower side showing a few broad, pale scales on the ribs. 

 The small and abundant sori (spore masses) are disposed on the midvein of 

 the fertile segments. — Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, p. 458. 



A. marginalis — mar-gin-a'-lis (marginal, in allusion to the disposition of 

 the sori), Klotzsch. 

 This well-marked and very distinct, stove species is a native of British 

 G-uiana, where it was discovered by R. Schomburgk. Its fronds are large, 

 of a somewhat leathery texture, and bipinnate (twice divided to the midrib), 

 and their primary pinnae (principal leaflets), borne on stalks of a very chaffy 

 nature, are lft. to ljft. long, 4in. broad, oblong, and terminate in a tapering 

 point. The pinnules (leafits) are closely set, stalkless, truncated (abruptly 

 terminated) at the base, entire, and slightly sinuated on the edges. The 

 sori (spore masses), disposed in a single line, form a continuous line a little 

 within the margin of the fertile pinnules. — Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, p. 32. 



A. melanopus — mel-an'-op-us (having a black foot or stalk), Hooker. 



A stove species, native of Chimborazo, where, according to Spruce, it is 

 found growing at an elevation of 3000ft., and forming stems or trunks 3ft. 

 to 15ft. high, lft. in diameter, devoid of spines, but furnished with ramenta 

 (thin scales like wood- shavings). Its remarkably broad fronds are borne on 

 stipes (stalks) 3ft. long, lin. thick, intense ebony-black, slightly tuberculate 

 at the base, and there covered with long, narrow scales. Their primary 

 pinnas (principal leaflets), 5ft. long, are divided into twelve pairs of secondary 

 pinnas 3ft. or nearly so in length and lft. broad ; the pinnules (leafits) are 

 distinctly stalked, about 6in. long, terminate in a toothed point, and are deeply 

 pinnatifid (cut down nearly to their midrib). The sori (spore masses) are 

 disposed at the forking of each vein, nearer to the rib than to the margin of 

 the fertile segments. — Hooker, Species Filicum, p. 37. 



A. mexicana — mex-ic-a'-na (Mexican), Martins. 



A stove species, native of Mexico, only known from dried specimens. 

 — Hooker, Species Filicum, p. 47. 



