374 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



A. samoensis — sam-o-en'-sis (from Samoa), Brackenridge. 



In this stove species, native of the Samoan Islands, the stem or trunk is 

 devoid of spines. The fronds are smooth, of a thin, papery texture, and 

 bipinnate (twice divided to the midrib). The long, spear-shaped pinnules 

 (leafits) are again divided half-way to their midrib, and the lobes thus pro- 

 duced are oblong, blunt, and toothed like a saw. The sori (spore masses) 

 are disposed nearer the midrib than the margin of the fertile lobes. — Hooker, 

 Synojjsis Filicum, p. 39. 



A. Schiedeana— Schie-de-a'-na (Schiede's), Presl. 



A Mexican, stove species, known only from dried specimens. Its ample 

 fronds are of thin texture ; the pinnte and pinnules (leaflets and leafits) are 

 alternate (not opposite), almost stalkless, and cut down more than half-way 

 to the midrib : their sickle-shaped segments are blunt at the summit. — 

 Hooker, SjMcies Filicum, i., p. 48. 



A. Schlimii — Schlim'-i-i (Schlim's), Mettenius. 



This handsome, stove species, which through its habit may be said to 

 be intermediate between A. elongata and A. paleolata, is a native of the 

 Andes of Columbia. Its ample fronds are tripinnate (three times divided 

 to the midrib), and are conspicuous through their rachis (stalk of the 

 leafy portion), of a pale brown colour, being very hairy and also covered 

 with large brown scales. The primary pinna; (principal leaflets) are oblong- 

 spear-shaped, l|-ft. to 2ft. long, furnished with stalkless, strap-shaped pinnules 

 (leafits) Bin. to 4in. long by fin. broad and cut down to a narrow wing. 

 The sub- divisions thus formed are of an almost leathery texture, falcate (sickle- 

 shaped), toothed and closely set ; their ribs on both sides are very hairy, 

 and the rest of the surface is slightly so. The sori (spore masses) are 

 situated on the midvein, and cover nearly the whole of the fertile segments 

 except the tip. — Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, p. 458. 



A. Scottiana — Scot-ti-a'-na (Scott's), Baker. 



A greenhouse species, native of the Eastern Himalayas, and having the 

 habit of A. latebrosa. The large fronds are tripinnatifid (three times divided 

 half-way to the midrib), of a moderately firm texture, green on both sides, 

 and without hairs or scales. Their oblong-spear-shaped pinna3 (leaflets) are 



