504 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



A. (Darea) Belangeri— Da'-re-a ; Bel-an'-ger-i (Belanger's), Kunze. 



This handsome and deservedly popular, stove species, native of Java, 

 Sumatra, and Borneo, is one of the most elegant plants of the genus, 

 forming a graceful plume of finely-divided fronds, spreading on all sides 

 (see Plate). It is perhaps more extensively known as A. Veitchianum, but 

 whichever name may receive the preference, no collection, large or small, 

 should be without it, on account of its distinctive characters, its compact and 

 even growth, and the elegance of its general appearance. The fronds, 1ft. to 

 ljft. long, Sin. to 3in. broad, and bipinnate (twice divided to the midrib), 

 are borne on firm, erect, smooth stipes (stalks) of a greenish colour and 

 from 4in. to Sin. long. The numerous and closely-set pinna) (leaflets) are 

 almost horizontal, lin. to ljin. long, Jin. broad, and proliferous on their 

 entire length ; they are rounded at the point, truncate at the base on the 

 lower side, and regularly cut down throughout to a broadly- winged rachis 

 (stalk) into blunt, linear lobes or pinnules (leafits) ; the latter are all simple 

 except the basal one on the upper side of the pinnae, which is always bifid 

 (once forked) and frequently trifid (twice forked). The spore masses, produced 

 over the whole under-surface of the frond, are long and narrow; one is 

 disposed on each segment or lobe, where it is situated on the exterior side, 

 and as is characteristic of plants belonging to the sub-genus Darea, these 

 spore masses open on the outward side — that is, on the side turned away from 

 the rachis. A. Belangeri is a beautiful, evergreen plant, which does not 

 require any special care in its cultivation, but it must be borne in mind that 

 slugs and woodlice, the latter especially, have a particular liking for it when 

 within their reach. — Hooker, Species Filicurn, hi., p. 209. Nicholson, Dic- 

 tionary of Gardening, i., p. 128. Lowe, Ferns British and Exotic, v., t. 5. 

 Beddome, Ferns of British India, t. 287. . 



A. (Darea) bifMum— Da'-re-a ; bif-id-um (divided about half-way in two). 



A puzzling and variable plant, from the fact that it runs gradually into 

 forms with the leaflets again pinnate, with small narrow pinnules, or with 

 these again deeply bifid or pinnatifid. It is identical with A. lineatum. 



A. biforme — bif-or'-me (having two forms). A garden appellation for 

 A. dimorphum. 



