ASP ID I UM. 



461 



A. L. confertum — con-fer'-tum (full, crowded), Lowe. 



This variety is known as the Irish form of A. Lonchitis, and differs 

 essentially from the species through the smaller size of its equally rigid and 

 upright fronds, which are furnished with more numerous and narrower 

 pinna3 (leaflets), so crowded together that they conspicuously overlap each 

 other. In this form the auricle (ear) existing at the base of each leaflet 

 is hidden by the leaflet immediately above and overlapping it. — Lowe, Our 

 Native Ferns, i., fig. 43. 



A. marginatum — mar-gin-a'-turu (margined). This is a variety of 

 A. auriculatum. 



A. (Polystichum) melanochlamys — Pol-ys'-tich ■um : mel-an-och'- 

 lam-ys (having a black covering), Fee. 

 A stove species, native of Cuba, with fronds ljft. to 2ft. long and 

 9in. to 12in. broad, borne on tufted, erect stipes (stalks) 6in. to 12in. long 

 and densely covered, especially below, with dark brown scales of a hairy 

 nature. The pinnse (leaflets), 4in. to Gin. long and ljin. to 2in. broad, are 

 of a dark green colour, and divided into pinnules (leafits) somewhat sickle- 

 shaped and cut down to the rachis (stalk of the leafy portion of the frond) ; 

 they are of a soft, papery texture, and have both surfaces naked. The sori 

 (spore masses), which are disposed at the base of the pinnules, principally 

 in the lower ones, are provided with a peltate involucre (covering 

 attached to the frond by its centre), which is black in the middle, and has 

 its edge ciliated (furnished with short hairs). — Hooker, Species Filicum, iv., 

 p. 35, t. 233a. 



A. (Polystichum) melanostictum — Pol-ys'-tich-um ; niel-an-os-tic'-tum 

 (having a black dot), Kunze. 

 A stove species, native of Mexico, in general appearance very similar to 

 A. melanochlamys, its fronds being of the same dimensions, texture, and 

 colour. The sori (spore masses) show the same peltate involucre (covering 

 fixed to the frond by its centre), which is also quite black ; but in this case 

 they are disposed in two rows extending the full length of the pinnules 

 (leafits) and filling up nearly the whole space between the midrib and 

 the edge. — Hooker, Species Filicum, iv., p. 34, t. 233b. 



