448 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



A. (Polystichum) capense — Pol-ys'-tich-um ; ca-pen'-se (from the 

 Cape ) , Willdeno w. 



Although its specific name seems to indicate that this handsome and 

 very useful, greenhouse species is a native of the Cape of Good Hope, it 

 is, or has been, found in a wild state in various other places : thus 

 it is found in America from Cuba to Patagonia, in the Polynesian Islands, 

 in New Zealand and Australia, as well as in Cape Colony, Natal, and the 

 Mascarene Islands. Its handsome fronds, of a very leathery texture and 

 of a shining nature, have both surfaces naked ; their leafy portion, sub- 

 deltoid (in form almost like the Greek delta, A), tripinnate (three times 

 divided to the midrib), 1ft. to oft. long and 1ft. to broad, is borne 



on a firm, erect, greyish stalk, densely scaly below. The lowest pinna; 

 (leaflets), which are the largest, frequently measure 6in. to lOin. long 

 by 3in. to 4in. broad ; they are oblong-spear-shaped, sharp -pointed, wedge- 

 shaped at the base, and have bluntly-lobed segments. The large and 

 abundant sori (spore masses) are disposed in two rows nearly filling the 

 space between the midrib and the edge. In gardens this species is also 

 known as A. coriaceum. — Hooker, Species Filicum, iv., p. 32. Nicholson, 

 Dictionary of Gardening, i., p. 126. Lowe, Ferns British and Exotic,, vi., t. 40. 



A. caryotideum — car-y-o-tid'-e-uin (Caryota-like). This is a variety 

 of A. falcatum. 



A. COnfertum — con-fer'-tum (compressed), Hooker and Greville. 

 Synonymous with A. meniscioides. 



A. coriaceum — cor-i-a'-ce-um (leathery), Swartz. A garden name for 

 A. capense. 



A. crlstatum — cris-ta'-tum (crested). A name applied to varieties of 

 A. acideatum and A. angulare. 



A. (Cyrtomium) falcatum — Cyr-toin'-i-uin ; fal-ca'-tum (hooked or 

 sickle-shaped), Swartz. 

 The Ferns belonging to the Cyrtomium section form a small group 

 of most useful subjects in the genus Aspidium, but this species and its 

 several varieties surpass all others in being best adapted for indoor decoration. 



