384 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



and their pinnae (leaflets), the lowest of which are the largest, are furnished 

 with wedge-shaped, pinnatifid pinnules (leafits) of an almost coriaceous 

 (leathery) texture, and with both surfaces slightly hairy. The fertile fronds, 

 which are totally distinct from the barren ones, consist of contracted segments 

 disposed in a close, elongated panicle borne on a slender stalk 2in. to Bin, 

 long. — Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, p. 435. 



A. Breuteliana— Breu-tel-i -a'-na" (Breutel's), Presl. 



This well-marked, stove species, with which A. hirta and A. filiformis, 

 both of Swartz, are identical, is widely distributed, for its habitat extends 

 from Mexico and the West Indies to Brazil and Peru. Its singular fronds, 

 borne on slightly hairy stipes (stalks) 6in. to 10in., long, are composed of 

 from six to nine pairs of barren pinnae (leaflets), 4in. to 9in. long, l|in. to 

 Sin. broad, of almost leathery texture, and nearly smooth on both surfaces : 

 these pinnae are stalkless, oblong in form, blunt, rather unequal-sided, 

 entire or slightly cut down in the lower part, and grow smaller gradually 

 upwards. The fertile panicle is composed of contracted segments, disposed at 

 the base of the barren or leafy portion of the frond, 2in. to 4in. long, and 

 borne on footstalks 3in. to 6in. long. — Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, p. 432. 



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



This stove species, native of Brazil, also known under the name of 

 A. radicans, is with A. rotundifolia the only species of a proliferous character 

 at present known. Its most singular fronds, borne on slightly hairy stipes 

 (stalks) 6in. to 9in. long, have their barren portion Sin. to 12in. long, often 

 prolonged and rooting at its apex : it is about 2in. broad at the base, very 

 gradually narrowed upwards, and is composed of twenty or more pairs of 

 sessile pinnae (stalkless leaflets), fully developed on one side of the midrib 

 and scarcely at all on the other, about lin. long and Jin. broad, with a blunt 

 point and finely toothed margins. The pinna? are of a somewhat leathery 

 texture, and both their surfaces, as well as their rachis (stalk of the leafy 

 portion), are slightly hairy. Their fertile portion, situated at the base of 

 the barren one, and borne on a footstalk 3in. to 9in. long, is composed of 

 contracted segments disposed in a loose panicle 2in, to 3in. long. — Hooker, 

 Synopsis Filicum, p. 432. 



