A Dictionary of Choice Ferns. 
83 
ACROSTICHXJM— continued. 
minute, whitish, chaffy scales, while on the under-surface 
these are of a rusty colour, and very dense. These fronds 
are borne on tufted stalks Sin. to 4in. long, which proceed 
from a nearly upright stem ; this is also densely clothed with 
small, nearly black, chaffy scales. 
A. muscosum. 
In this very distinct, stove species, which is a native 
of tropical America, from Mexico and the West Indies to 
Peru and Brazil, the barren fronds. Sin. to 12in. long, and 
about l^in. broad, are narrowed at both ends; they are 
leathery as to texture, and their upper surface is naked, 
while their lower surface is quite hidden by imbricated or 
overlapping scales, shortly fringed with hairs, of a rusty 
colour, and frequently dark chestnut-brown in the middle; 
they are borne on firm stalks, 4in. to Gin. long, clothed with 
large, egg-shaped, pale brown scales, and are produced 
from a woody, short rhizome, equally covered with bright 
chestnut-brown scales. The fertile fronds are much smaller 
than the barren ones, but their stalks are longer. Fig. 48. 
A. nicotiansefolium. 
Cuba is the home of this stove species, which is of very 
easy culture and highly decorative. Its barren fronds, which 
are from 1ft. to 3ft. in length, frequently measure 1ft. in 
breadth, and are usually composed of a large, terminal 
leaflet and two or three pairs of lateral leaflets. Gin. to 12in. 
long and sometimes 3in. broad, of a paper-like texture, 
shining, and with both surfaces naked ; these barren fronds 
are borne on stalks l^ft. to 2ft. long, scaly below^ and are 
produced from a woody, wide-creeping or long-trailing, 
scaly rhizome. The fertile leaflets are set far apart, 3in. 
to 4in. long and about lin. broad, the lower ones being 
borne on stalks, and the upper ones closely attached to the 
stalk. 
A. osmundaceum. 
This evergreen, stove species, native of Ecuador and 
South Brazil, may justly be considered as the handsomest 
of all the Acrostichums of scandent habit, climbing as it 
does, in St. Catharine Island, more than 20ft. up the 
trunks of trees, of which it eventually takes entire posses- 
sion. The barren ^and the fertile fronds are markedly dif- 
ferent, though both are produced in abundance from a dark, 
scaly, stout, creeping, woody rhizome. The barren ones 
are ample, tripinnate, and their lower leaflets, l^ft. to 2ft. 
long and Gin. to Sin. broad, are of a leathery texture, with 
both sides naked. The barren lea fits are stalked, spear- 
