510 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



entire surface is covered at some time of the year, and these young plants 

 may frequently be seen with half-a-dozen fronds of their own. See Coloured 

 Plate.— Sb^er, Species Filicum, hi., p. 196. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gar- 

 dening, i, p. 129. Lowe, Ferns British and Exotic, v., t. 11. Beddome, Ferns 

 of British India, t. 65. 



Besides A. Martensianum and A. Shuttleworthianum, both of Kunze, 

 which appear to be large, quadripinnatifid (four times divided half-way 

 to the midrib) forms of this species bearing their sori on the edge of the 

 segments, several distinct and well-marked forms are recognised, the principal 

 of which are the two following : 



A. b. Fabianum-Fab-i-a/-num (Fabia's), Humboldt and Jacquin. 



This is a very ornamental form, of robust constitution, with fronds 

 lift, to 2ft. long, of a dark, shining green colour, and rendered much 

 lighter in appearance than those of the species through their lower segments 

 being much narrower and deeply cleft; when fully developed they also 

 possess a more graceful and arching appearance, produced by the quantity 

 of young plants, the weight of which renders the fronds beautifully pendulous. 

 —Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, p. 218. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, 

 i., p. 129. 



This Fern is admirably adapted for table-decoration, for vases, &c, 

 as it is perfectly evergreen, and as very good-sized plants with a quantity 

 of foliage can be grown in pots of comparatively small dimensions. Although 

 it thrives in the mixture recommended for Aspleniums in general, this 

 variety grows most luxuriantly in peat and sand alone, in which soil it 

 will be found to produce fronds of larger dimensions and especially of 

 a much brighter green colour. 



A. b. laxum— lax'-um (loose), II. Brown. 



Commonly known in commerce under the name or A. laxum pumilum, 

 probably on account of its compact habit, this is perhaps the handsomest 

 form known of the variations of A. bulbiferum. The fronds, which are 

 produced from a thick, fleshy crown, are plentiful, and of a peculiarly dark, 

 shining green colour ; they are barely lift, long and about Sin. broad when 

 the plant has attained its full development, but they are remarkably elegant 



