584 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



stalks on which they are borne, claret-coloured in their entire length, form 

 a pleasing and striking contrast to the bright grey colour of the pinna) 

 next on each side, which disposition forms a central grey band running 

 through the whole length of the frond, and is as effective as in the better- 

 known Pteris quadriaurita tricolor. — Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, p. 227. 

 Nicholson, Dictionary of Gardening, i., p. 131. 



The soil which best suits this species is a compost of two parts of leaf 

 mould, one of fibrous loam, and one of silver sand. Although spores are 

 produced in abundance, the plant is usually propagated by division. 



A. (Diplazium) gracilescens — Dip-W-i-um ; grac-il-es'-eens (very 

 graceful) , Mettenius. 

 A stove species of large dimensions and very ornamental, native of 

 Venezuela. Its large yet elegant fronds, 3ft. to 4ft. long, 2ft. to 3ft. broad, 

 and fully tripimiate (three times divided to the midrib), are borne on 

 slender but firm, straw-coloured stalks of a polished nature. The lower 

 leaflets, 1ft. to l|ft. long and 6in. broad, are divided into close, short- 

 stalked leafits 2in. to 3in. long and lin. broad, which are in their turn 

 subdivided into oblong, unequal- sided, pinnatifid, segments, each bearing only 

 one sorus (spore mass) about one fine long. — Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, p. 242. 



A. (Diplazium) grammitoides — Dip-laz'-i-um ; gram-mi-to-i-des 

 (Grammitis-like), Hooker. 

 A dwarf-growing, stove species, from the Philippine and Malay Islands, 

 with fronds only about Gin. long, lanceolate (spear-shaped), and bipinnatifid 

 (twice divided half-way to the midrib). The oblong sori (spore masses) are 

 mostly disposed in an oblique row close to the midrib of the leaflets. — Hooker, 

 Species Filicum, iii., p. 228. 



A. (Diplazium) grandifolium— Dip-laz'-i-um ■ gran-dif-oF-i-um (large- 

 leaved), Swartz. 



This is a strong-growing, stove species, found from Cuba to Ecuador and 

 Brazil. Its ample fronds, 2ft. to 3ft. long and 9in. to 12in. broad, are borne 

 on firm, erect, naked or slightly scaly stalks 1ft. or more long and of an 

 ebeneous (blackish) colour ; they are simply pinnate (only once divided to 

 the midrib), being furnished with from twelve to twenty pairs of leaflets, the 



