28 



POPULAR GARDEN BOTANY. 



be grown in the greenhouse, and are great treasures when 

 procured and kept in health, as their graceful fronds, tower- 

 ing above other plants, are a great addition to the variety 

 of form collected together : the latter has a white powder 

 on the under side of the frond, which adds to its beauty. 



PTEBIS. 



Gen. Char. {Cryptogamia Filices.) Thecse in a continuous mar- 

 ginal line, covered by a continuous marginal indusium. 



Named from the Greek for plume, from their feather-like 

 appearance. This is an extensive genus, of which a few are 

 introduced into the greenhouse, as P. arguta, from Madeira ; 

 rotundifolia, from New Zealand; Cretica, from Candia; um- 

 hrosa and tremula from New South Wales; hastata and 

 macropliylla, from the Cape ; intramarginalis, from Mexico ; 

 Kingiana, from Norfolk Island ; and longifolia and serra- 

 tula, from India. These Perns should have a peat and loam 

 soil. 



