582 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



and generally in company with A. Ruta-muraria. Its fronds, 2in. to Sin. 

 long and borne on naked, slender, and densely-tufted stalks 2in. to 4m. long, 

 are very variable and simply pinnate (only once divided to the midrib). The 

 pinnse are alternate (not opposite), of a leathery texture, and once or twice 

 forked at their extremity (Fig. 106) ; the lowest of them are deeply cleft 

 and also slightly notched towards the point. The spore masses are linear, 

 when mature covering the whole breadth, but falling short of the point, 

 of the pinna?. A. altemifolium is another name for this species. — Hooker, 

 Species Filicum, iii., p. 175. Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, i., p. 131. 

 Lowe, Ferns British and Exotic, v., t. 3b. 



A. germanicum is perfectly hardy ; in a wild state its fronds die down 

 during the winter, but when cultivated in a greenhouse from which frost is 

 excluded, it remains evergreen. It requires a very light, poor soil, and 

 it has been found to thrive best and most permanently when grown in 

 a mixture of equal proportions of sharp river sand, sandy peat, and lime 

 rubbish, with thorough drainage, subjected to moderate waterings, and 

 protected from bright sunshine during the summer. 



A. (Hemidictyum) Ghiesbreghtii— He-mid-ic'-ty-um ; Ghies-bregr/-ti-i 

 ( Grhiesbreght' s ) , Fournier. 

 A stove species, native of Mexico, with leathery, pale green fronds 

 l^ft. long and ljin. broad at the middle, spear-shaped, entire (undivided), 

 gradually narrowed uj3wards from the middle to a sharp point and down- 

 wards to a short stalk. The narrow sori (spore masses) are about lin. long 

 and form an angle of lOdeg. with the midrib, near which they are situated. 

 — Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, p. 492. 



A. (Euasplenium) Gibertianum — Eu-as-ple'-m-um • Gib-ert-i-a'-num 

 (Gibert's), Hooker. 



A strong and regular-growing, stove species, native of Paraguay, with 

 fronds about 8in. long, caudate (tailed) at their extremity, and furnished with 

 numerous closely-set leaflets of a thin, papery texture, broadest on the upper 

 side and cut down to the midrib into simple, sharp-pointed pinnules (leafits). 

 The sori (spore masses) are disposed one at the base of each pinnule. 

 — Hooker, Species Filicum,, hi., p. 199. 



