FLORA AND SYLVA 
segments set upon short stalks in 9 to 12 
pairs along the midrib, and these are again 
cut into blunt lobes of leathery texture, much 
contracted towards the tip. In this kind the 
difference between the barren andfertile fronds 
is but slight. The stems, of a rich claret red, 
are covered with short white down, seen also 
more sparingly upon both sides of the pinns. 
Like other hairy Ferns, this kind dislikes 
sprinkling. Malay States. 
L. reticulatum. — A fine bold kind from the 
Southern Seas, of free growth, its tough wiry 
stems crowded with massive foliage of the 
finest effect upon pillars, or trained to a light 
trellis in the stove. The fronds are a rich 
glossy green, and come best in a shadier place 
and planted in more substantial soil than is 
needed by others of the group. They are 
very fine in texture, varied as to length and 
shape, according to age and the vigour of the 
plant. They are twice cut to the centre and 
divided into many exact pairs of leaflets with 
an odd one at the tip ; these are lance-shaped, 
with a square or heart-shaped base, beautifully 
waved, and finely toothed at the edges. The 
seeding segments are broader and shorter edged, 
with tiny fruit-masses like rows of blunted 
teeth : a rare kind of difficult increase. Syns. 
L. Forsteri or L. Schkuhri. 
L. scandens. — A Fern quite apart from L. 
japonicum, which mostly bears its name. It 
is of very slender growth, bushy, and unlike 
any other kind in the freedom with which it 
bears fresh youngshootsallalong theold stems; 
in this way it weaves dense thickets of verdure 
in India, tropical China, and the East Indies. 
The fronds are short and closely set upon wiry 
stems of 20 feet or more, variable in size and 
shape, and a pale grey-green colour. The 
segments are also most variable, set alternately 
in 4 or 5 pairs upon each side of the central 
stalk, with an odd one at the top, and are 
mostly undivided, with a rounded or heart- 
shaped base. They are set rather far apart 
and at right angles to the central stalk ; at 
times however they are again cut to the centre, 
with increased effect. The seed spores are 
found in close rows upon the edges of the 
fertile fronds, appearing in their early stages 
like tiny strings of green beads. This kind 
thrives in a greenhouse, and is found in several 
distinct forms : — microphyllum being a com- 
mon variety with short, broad segments ; and 
Fulcheri, a handsome Australian form, with 
long fronds and short segments, beautifully 
fringed when fertile. 
L.semihastatum. — A little known kind from 
the Mariana Islands, with one-forked short- 
stemmed leaflets cut into long undivided seg- 
ments of leathery texture, set (when fertile) 
with showy spore-masses upon the edges. 
L. subuldtum. — A very distinct kind from 
the islands of the Indian Ocean, its long trails 
furnished with roughly triangularleaflets, twice 
cut to the centre into close-set, overlapping 
segments, 6 pairs and an odd one in each 
leaf. 
L. venustum. — A plant of strong and rapid 
growth, needing much space to develop. The 
trails rise to a great height from creeping 
rootstocks, with leaflets held upon stalks so 
short as to appear stemless. They are 6 to 
12 inches long and 4 to 6 inches wide, cut 
into many undivided segments of about 3 
inches, varying in number from 4 to 1 2 pairs, 
set rather loosely along either side of a zig- 
zagged midrib, which is terminated by an 
odd segment larger than the rest. They are 
deeply lobed and of a pretty pale green, soft 
to the touch, spreading at the base, and deeply 
serrated round the edges. The spore-masses 
appear as closely set rows of long brown spike- 
lets, but these fertile fronds are scarce. The 
stems are rather brittle and densely covered 
with short grey hairs, which also cover both 
sides of the leaflets giving a distinct appear- 
ance, but on thisaccounttheplantshouldnever 
be wetted overhead. Of more difficult culture 
than others of the group, this kind has become 
rare in gardens, though beautiful when well 
grown. West Indies and tropical South 
America, to Peru. Syn. L. polymorphum. 
L. volubile. — A close-growing Fern from 
Cuba and tropical South America, bearing 
stemless leaflets nearly as broad as long, and 
composed of an uncut terminal segment of 3 
to 6 inches, and several pairs of wedge-shaped 
side segments, of firm texture and bright green 
colour. The fertile growths bear long spikes 
of seed-spores along their edges. A beautiful 
plant in a warm greenhouse, very pretty for 
pillars in its dense growth. Syn. h. hastatum. 
