FERNS, 



265 



FERNS, 



By James Britten, F-L.S. 



Asplenium. — The genus Asplenium, as under- 

 stood by the authors of the Synopsis Filicum," the 

 standard authority on ferns, is a very extensive one. 

 In number of species it occupies the second place in 

 iern genera, and includes plants from all parts of the 



horse-shoe-shaped, as in the section Athprkcm. As 

 it would be impossible within the limits proposed for 

 this work to mention very many of the species — a 

 considerable number ot them not yet having found 

 their way to cultivation in this country — a selection 

 of the best and most distinct, from a garden point of 

 view, is given under the different heads of Stove, 

 Grreen-house. and Hardy. 



Asplenium Hemionitis. 



world where ferns grow. Within the limits of the 

 genus every variety in size, in texture, and in the 

 cutting of the frond is comprised, most of the species 

 being evergreen, and a large proportion of them 

 highly desirable and ornamental plants. At present 

 the species formerly classed under the genera Tham- 

 nopteris, Hemidictyiim, Anisogonium, Diplazium, 

 Athyrium., and Darea, are included in Asplenium., 

 which now numbers about 350 species. In the vast 

 majority the veins are free, simple, or branched, and 

 the sori are linear or linear-oblong, the involucre 

 being the same shajje as the sorus. Now and then 

 the sori are more or less curved ; sometimes, indeed. 



STOVE KBSTDS. 



A. alatum is a handsome species from the West 

 Indies and tropical America; from a thick lieshy 

 crown it produces an abundance of pleasing light 

 green pinnate fronds, which gi'acef ully arch over, and 

 render the plant a thoroughly suitable one for culti- 

 vation in baskets. A. auritxim has also bright light 

 green pinnate fronds, from a foot to a foot and a halt 

 in length ; in addition to the countries given for the 

 last-named species, this is also found in the Neil- 

 gherries, in Bourbon, and in Madagascar. One of 

 the most handsome and distinct of all the Aspleniums 

 is A. Belangeri, fi-om the Malayan peninsula, Java. 



