506 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



A. (Darea) borbonicum — Da'-re-a ; bor-bo'-ni-cum (from Bourbon), 

 Hooker. 



A very pretty, stove species, native of Mauritius and the Bourbon 

 Islands j it is very similar to the better-known A. rutcefolium, from which 

 it is distinguished only by the greater breadth of its fronds, which are not 

 quite so finely divided as those of that popular species.— Hooker, Species 

 Filwum, iii., p. 207. 



A. (Euasplenium) borneense— Eu-as-ple'-m-um ■ bor-ne-en'-se (from 

 Borneo), Hooker. 



This stove species, native of Borneo, is somewhat near A. cultrfolium,, 

 but it is a stronger plant, with blunter and more unequal-sided pinnae 

 (leaflets) dwindling downwards very gradually. Its fronds, fully 3ft. long, 

 2jin. broad, and borne on stout, greyish stipes (stalks) Sin. to 4in. long, 

 are furnished with numerous sessile (stalkless) pinnae of a thin, papery 

 texture, the lower ones growing smaller very gradually, the central ones 

 ljin. long, with their point bluntly rounded, their upper edge auricled 

 (eared) inwards and distantly toothed. The sori (spore masses), which in 

 this singular species are sparingly produced, are disposed in almost parallel 

 rows. — Hooker, Species FUicum, iii., p. 135, t. 186. 



A. (Darea) brachypteron — Da'-re-a ; bra'ch-yp'-ter-on (broadly-winged), 

 Kunze. 



This exceedingly interesting, greenhouse species, native of Madagascar and 

 Fernando Po, where it is found at a great elevation, is of dwarf habit and 

 delicate texture. Although of remote introduction, it has not been so widely 

 distributed as it really deserves. Perhaps the fact of its being a native of 

 countries reputed warm has caused it to be kept in a higher temperature 

 than it requires, and it has consequently been, in many instances, lost after 

 a short trial. The warmest end of a greenhouse, or the coolest end of the 

 stove, suits it best. Its pretty fronds (Fig. 81), 4in. to 6in. long and 

 lin. to ljin. broad, borne on wiry, naked stalks 2in. to 4in. long, are 

 smooth, horizontal, and bipinnate (twice divided to the midrib). The pinna? 

 (leaflets), which number from twenty to twenty-four on each side of the 

 rachis (stalk of the leafy portion), are of very peculiar yet pretty shape, 



