590 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



borne on slender, greenish stalks 2in. to 3in. long ; they are provided with 

 several pairs of distinctly- stalked leaflets sometimes l*in. to 2in. long, with 

 several stalked pinnules |in. each way, of a papery texture and each bearing 

 from three to five sori (spore masses).— Booker, Species Filicum, hi., p. 194. 



A. Hookerianum (Hooker's), of gardens. A name applied to the popular 

 A. Colensoi, a totally different plant to that just described. 



Fig. 709. Portion of Frond of Asplenium horriclum 

 (nat. size). 



A. (Euasplenium) horridum— Eu-as-ple'-ni-um ; hor'-rid-um (horrid), 

 Kaulfuss. 



This is a strong-growing, distinct, and, notwithstanding its name, very 

 decorative, stove species, native of Java, Samoa, and the Sandwich Islands. 

 Its robust fronds, 2ft. to 3ft. long and Sin. to 12in. broad, are simply pinnate 

 (only once divided to the midrib). The leaflets, 4in. to 6in. long and fin. 

 broad at the base, gradually taper to a sharp point and are cut down 

 throughout more than half-way to the midrib into nearly uniform lobes that 

 are heart-shaped or broadly rounded at the base on the upper side, forming 

 a broad curve on their lower side (Fig. 109). The texture is leathery and 

 the sori (spore masses) are disposed in two nearly parallel lines close to the 

 midrib ; a few are also scattered on the disk of the lobes. The most 



