20 



POPULAR GARDEN BOTANY. 



GYMNOGEAMMA. (Golden Fern.) 



Gen. Char. (Cryptogamia Filices.) Thecse seated on the forked 

 veins of the fronds ; indusium none. 



This genus takes its name from the sori having no in- 

 dusium, therefore naked, j and gramma, a letter, from the 

 sori upon the forked veins resembling Roman writing. This 

 is a very beautiful genus of Ferns, but unfortunately nearly 

 all require stove culture; a few can be kept however in a 

 warm greenhouse, as G. Martensii, which is often known 

 under the name of chrysophylla : the frond is about eighteen 

 inches long; "the colour of the upper surface is a dull 

 yellowish-green, whilst beneath it is covered profusely with 

 a rich yellow farinose powder; the form of the frond is bi- 

 pinnate, with lanceolate pinnse, and elongated or roundish 

 pinnatifid pinnules, the segments being toothed : it is per- 

 haps the handsomest of the farinose-powdered Ferns, being 

 the most golden of the genus." This Fern is not suffici- 

 ently hardy to grow in the greenhouse, but it will bear the 

 cooler air for a time ; it is truly styled the " King of the 

 Gold-ferns." G. Totta, a native of Madeira, requires a warm 

 greenhouse, but it is at present very rare. This account 

 is taken from the work of Mr. Lowe, mentioned at p. 12. 



