A Dictionary of Choice Ferns. 
77 
ACROSTICHVM— continued. 
in length. The lower barren leaflets usually measure from 
6in. to 9in. in length and quite 4in. in breadth, and are 
furnished with numerous spear-shaped leafits, borne on 
short stalks, and whose segments are naked on both sur- 
faces. The segments of the fertile leafits, barely Jin. 
long, spread at right angles, and bear three or four stalk- 
less clusters of spore-cases. 
A. cervinum. 
In this truly handsome stove species, whose habitat 
extends from Cuba and Mexico to South Brazil and Peru, 
the barren and fertile fronds are entirely dissimilar. The 
former, simply pinnate, proceed from a creeping, woody 
rhizome, that is thickly covered w^ith shining light brown 
scales. The fronds are borne on stalks 1ft. or more long, 
densely clothed with scales similar to those covering the 
rhizome; they are of a weeping habit, and measure from 
3ft. to 4ft. long, while their practically entire, leathery- 
textured, pale shining green leaflets are from 6in. to Din. 
long and frequently 2in. broad, and unequal at the base. 
The fertile fronds are bipinnate, with linear leaflets, dis- 
tant, and furnished with short, spreading leafits, entirely 
covered with spore-cases. Fig. 11, p. 16. 
A. Coenopteris. 
Although more luxuriant under stove treatment, this 
strong-growing Mexican species may be successfully 
cultivated in the greenhouse, but is better adapted for grow- 
ing on partly-decayed branches of trees than for pots. Its 
woody rhizomes, densely clothed with rusty-coloured scales, 
soon take possession of either wood or Tree Fern stem with 
which they are brought into contact. These trailing stems, 
as thick as a finger, produce two distinct sorts of fronds, 
barren and fertile, both of which are borne on straw- 
coloured stalks, 6in. to 12in. long, scaly below. The barren 
ones, 2ft. to 3ft. long and about 1ft. broad, are simply 
pinnate ; the leaflets are of an almost leathery texture, 
shining green, and frequently measure from 4in. to 8in. long 
and l^in. broad; they are entire and toothed, especially 
towards the point. The fertile fronds are smaller, nar- 
rower, and bipinnate. This species, of easy cultivation, is 
identical with Soromanes serratifolium. Fig. 45. 
A. conforme. 
A handsome, evergreen, stove species, of dwarf habit, 
with very thick, shining fronds, produced from a creeping 
and scaly rhizome. Contrary to the general rule, the barren 
