76 
Choice Ferns for Amateurs 
ACROSTICHUM -continued. 
this species, considered the best of all those so far intro- 
duced, the fructification is limited to the upper leaflets, 
which are only a little smaller than the barren ones, and 
bear their spore-cases on the under-sides. Fig. 44. 
A. auritum. 
One of the few Acrostichums producing young plants on 
the upper surface of their fronds. These spring from an 
upright, woody stem, are deltoid in shape, and papery as 
to texture. The barren ones, borne on stems 6in. to 9in. 
long, are from Sin. to 12in. each way; their central seg- 
ment is deeply pinnatifid, with spear-shaped entire lobes, 
the lateral ones of which are unequal-sided, with elongated- 
lobed lower leafits, which do not reach quite down to the 
stalk. The deltoid fertile fronds are borne on stems 1ft. 
to lift, long, but their distant, linear leaflets are barely 
^in. broad, the upper ones being simple, the lower ones 
pinnatifid. The proliferous character of the plant is shown 
by a pair of bulbils disposed at the base of the lower leaflets 
of the barren fronds. The species requires stove treatment, 
being a native of the Philippines, Malay, and Solomon 
Islands. 
A. Blumeanum. 
Blume named this greenhouse species Leptochilus 
lomarioides. It is a native of Assam, Java, Samoa, and 
the Philippines, where it grows on trees, its thick, wide- 
climbing, woody rhizomes readily taking possession. Its 
barren fronds, which measure from 2ft. to 3ft. in length 
and about 1ft. in breadth, are borne on scaly stalks, not 
more than 6in. long, and are furnished on each side with 
numerous membranous or soft-textured leaflets ; these are 
stalkless, and from 4in. to Gin. long, with their extremity 
tapering to a point ; they have their edge slightly toothed, 
and their base rounded. The fertile fronds are equally 
pinnate; but the leaflets, 4in. to Sin. long, are less closely 
set, and never more than ^in. broad. 
A. canaliculatum. 
A gigantic Venezuelan species, that succeeds equally well 
under either stove or greenhouse treatment. On account 
of its climbing habit, it is well adapted for running up a 
Tree Fern stem, or for covering the stump of a dead tree. 
Its barren fronds, which are produced from a wide-climbing 
woody rhizome, covered with spines or short scales, are of 
a dark, glossy green, and a somewhat leathery texture; 
they frequently attain from 3ft. to 4ft. in length, and l^ft. 
in breadth, are tripinnate, and borne on stalks 1ft. or more 
