338 



FLORA AND SYLVA, 



are densely matted and rounded like a minia- 

 ture Fan Palm, deep shining green in colour, 

 and very transparent. A plant widely spread 

 through China, Japan, the East Indies, and 

 Madagascar. 



T. Pyxidiferum. — This covers a wide area, 

 being common in the West Indian Islands, 

 South America, and at considerable elevations 

 on the Cameroons Mountains of West Africa; 

 as a result it varies much. The fronds are pro- 

 duced upon slender woolly roots, which creep 

 over the trunks of Palms and other trees; they 

 vary from 3 to 6 inches in length, and are twice 

 or three times divided into narrow, transparent 

 segments, deep green in colour, which quickly 

 weave a rich drapery in the Fern-case. 



T. radicans. — A charming plant and one of 

 the loveliest of Filmy Ferns, familiar to many 

 asthe" Killarney Fern, "but little ofit isnowto 

 be found there, though it grows freely in adjoin- 

 ing counties. It is the most beautiful of all Bri- 

 tish Ferns, spreading by a creeping root which 

 bears fronds from 6 to 1 8 inches long, broadly 

 ovate in shape, very dense, much divided, and 

 deep sea-green in colour. Of this species there 

 are many forms, all differing in beauty. It de- 

 lights in heavy shade and has a fondness for 

 creeping over stones. Though found in parts 

 of Wales, it is unknown in England and Scot- 

 land, though it grew in Yorkshire many years 

 ago till hunted to death by collectors. It is, 

 however, widely spread over both hemispheres 

 with forms in the West Indies and North and 

 South America, reachingeastwardthrough the 

 Azores to Spain and even India, and westward 

 through theislandsofthe Pacific. Its best varie- 

 ties are alabamense, a very pretty plant found 

 upon wet and shaded rocks never reached by 

 the sun, its delicate fronds lasting fresh for se- 

 veral seasons ; Andrewsii^n Irish form with nar- 

 rower and less compact fronds; cambricum, the 

 Welsh variety, differing slightly in the form of 

 segments ; concinnum, with oval fronds upon 

 very short stalks; dilatation, very distinct, with 

 large dark green fronds and coarser segments ; 

 Kunzeanum, a Brazilian form with firm leatb ery 

 fronds of 1 2 to 1 8 inches ; Lusclmatianum, also 

 from South America, in which the fronds have 

 no stalk, but are attached directly to the creep- 

 ing roots; and proliferum, a very curious Irish 

 variety, reproducing itself from small bulbils 

 as in certain Aspleniums. Syn. T. brevisetum. 



T. reniforme. — This peculiar little plant is 

 known as the " Kidney Fern "of New Zealand, 

 with creeping roots and leathery but very trans- 

 parent fronds, nearly round, and of rich deep 

 green ; when fertile the spores form a beau- 

 tiful fringe round the edges of the fronds, 

 which on strong plants are 4 to 8 inches wide. 

 It does best upon soft broken sandstone, mixed 

 with rough peat. 



T. rigidum. — A charming and distinct 

 plant of broadly oval fronds, variable as to size, 

 divided three or even four times into very 

 dainty segments, the lower lobes narrow, 

 toothed, and of firm texture. Its habit appears 

 a little stiff from the long rigid stalks support- 

 ing the fronds. West Indies, South America, 



NEW ZEALAND KIDNEY FERN (TRICHOMANES 

 RENIFORME). 



the Philippines, and Ceylon. The plant known 

 as T. elongatum is now considered as a form 

 of this, with a tufted habit and fronds of 6 

 to 1 2 inches in height ; they are triangular, 

 twice divided, dense, and deep green in colour. 

 New Zealand. Syns. T. obscurum and ac hi I lea- 

 folium. 



T. venosum. — A free-growing plant which 

 soon covers a Fern stump or block ofsandstone, 

 often being found to clothe Fern stems or tree 

 trunks to a great height. The root-stock is 

 thread-like in its slenderness, with fronds from 

 2 to 5 inches in length, pinnate, very delicate, 

 and of shining light green. Abundant in New 

 Zealand, East Indies, and Tasmania. 



G. 



