ASPLENIUM. 



549 



the fronds, which, are very spreading, Gin. to 9in. broad and furnished with 

 pinna? (leaflets) irregular in outline, somewhat distant, and acuminate (ending 

 in a long taper-point). The pinnules (leafits) are mostly ovate (egg-shaped), 

 sometimes oblong, very broad, crowded and overlapping, crispy, and here and 

 there short-forked into distant lobes notched almost to the point, these again 

 being notched with short, minute teeth. In the fertile fronds the pinnules 

 taper to an acute point and the lobes are narrower and more distant. The 

 sori (spore masses) in this beautiful variety are situated near the base of the 

 lobes. — Lowe, Our Native Ferns, ii., p. 7, fig. 279. 



A. F.-f. contortum — con-tor'-tum (twisted), Stansfield. 



This variety is really more curious than beautiful ; it was raised from 

 spores at Todmorden and has proved quite constant. The fronds, of a slender 

 habit, 12in. to 14in. long and about Bin. broad, are provided with pinnce 

 (leaflets) and especially with pinnules (leafits) that are much contorted 

 (twisted back) and very variable in form and size. — Lowe, Our Native 

 Ferns, ii., p. 33, fig. 316. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, i., p. 130. 



A. F.-f. COronatum — cor-o-na'-tum (crowned), Moore. 



A very beautiful variety, of dwarf dimensions, well named on account of 

 its crowded apex. Its fronds, 6in. to 12in. long, Sin. broad, except the 

 terminal crown, which is at least 3 Jin. to 4in. across, are provided with 

 distinctly -forked pinna?, sometimes slightly crested at their extremity. The 

 rachis (stalk of the leafy portion) is dilated from the centre of the frond and 

 throws out a number of branches, which cross each other and thus produce 

 a large, compact, much-divided tassel. Instead of being pale green, as is 

 mostly the case, the rachis is of a light red colour, which greatly adds to the 

 decorative value of the plant. — Lowe, Our Native Ferns, ii., p. 35, fig. 319. 

 Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, i., p. 130. 



A. F.-f. COrymbiferum — cor-ymb-if'-er-um (corymb-bearing), Moore. 



This is a very handsome, robust-growing, tasselled variety, originally 

 found wild in Guernsey, but latterly abundantly raised from spores, by which 

 means it reproduces itself pretty freely. Its handsome fronds, 1ft. to ljft. 

 long by 5in. to Sin. broad, are broadly spear-shaped. The pinnae (leaflets) are 



