ASPLENIUM. 



509 



fronds, 2ft. to oft. long and 9in. to 18in. broad, are borne on erect, slender, 

 naked stalks of a grey colour and from 1ft. to ljft. long. The pinna? 

 (leaflets) are longest at the base of the frond, where they measure 1ft. or 

 more, and are divided into lanceolate pinnules (spear-shaped leafits) 2in. to 

 oin. long, which in their turn are subdivided into segments of the same 

 shape as the pinnules, but deeply and sharply toothed, and of a soft, papery 

 texture. The abundant sori (spore masses) are usually disposed from six to 

 twelve to a segment in two rows near the midrib, the lower ones curved, 

 often double. — Hooker, Species MMcum, hi., p. 229. Nicholson, Dictionary of 

 Gardening, i., p. 128. Beddome, Ferns of British India, t. 241. 



A. Brownii — Brown'-i-i (Brown's). Synonymous with A. umbrosum. 



A. (Euasplenium) bulbiferum — Eu-as-ple'-m-um ; bul-bif'-er-mn 

 (bulbil-bearing), Forster. 

 This very handsome, greenhouse species, native of New Zealand, Australia, 

 New Caledonia, &c, is a universal favourite with Fern cultivators, and is 

 perhaps the best-known and most universally grown of all the Aspleniums. 

 Its popularity is no doubt due to its rapid growth, its robustness, and 

 its easy cultivation ; while its being viviparous (bud-bearing) in the highest 

 degree is certainly the cause of its being so widely distributed as to be met 

 with in almost every collection. It possesses another claim to the attention 

 of the cultivator inasmuch as it is one of the best of all known Ferns to 

 withstand the atmosphere of the dwelling-room. Its fronds, ljft. to 2ft. long 

 and Sin. to 12in. broad, are borne on stipes (stalks) 6in. to lOin. long, 

 green on the upper side and brown below; they are lanceolate (spear -shaped), 

 bearing numerous pinna? (leaflets) that are oblong in shape, 4in. to Sin. long 

 and ljin. to 2in. broad, cut down to a compressed, winged stalk into 

 numerous somewhat egg-shaped pinnules (leafits), the largest of which are 

 usually situated near the midrib and wedge-shaped at the base. These 

 pinnules, of a soft texture and pale green colour, are again cut into slightly- 

 toothed, long, narrow segments, the whole breadth of which is eventually 

 occupied by the sori (spore masses), which are oblong in shape and mostly 

 disposed in a double row, gradually becoming confluent. Though of 

 a naturally erect and somewhat stiff habit, the fronds are usually rendered 

 quite pendulous by the great quantities of young plants with which their 



