102 
Choice Ferns for Amateurs. 
ADIANTVM— continued. 
described, given las a hybrid between A. tenerum and A. 
gracillimum, a theory which receives considerable support 
from the general appearance of the plant. 
A. colpodes. 
An elegant species from Tropical America, most useful 
for basket culture or for planting in the wall of the stove, 
where its long, slender, and pendulous fronds can show 
themselves to advantage. These fronds are from 1ft. to 
l^ft. long, 4in. to Sin. broad, tripinnate, and borne on 
slender stalks, covered with long but very narrow, light 
brown scales. The lower leaflets spread at right angles 
from the stalk, and are about 4in. long by l^in. broad, 
slightly branched below. The leafits, with which the pinnse 
are abundantly furnished, although of a very rich green 
when matured, are of a very delicate pink when young ; 
they are nearly or quite stalkLess, about ^in. long and ^in. 
broad, with their upper margin rounded, lobed, and toothed. 
The sori are disposed on the teeth of the outer edge of the 
leafits. 
A. concinnum. 
On account of its decorative qualities, this tropical 
American species is w^ell worthy of a place in every collec- 
tion. The fronds are of about an equal width for two- 
thirds of their length, then gradually tapering to their 
extremity. Being of a semi-transparent nature and the 
sori being numerous, the latter are shown to great ad- 
vantage, especially when the plant is grown in a basket and 
suspended from the roof of a warm house. A distinctive 
character lies in the disposition of the lowest pinnules, 
which are upright and pressed flat against the stalk, almost 
covering it. Fig. 12, p. 17. 
A. c. latum. 
A most valuable and distinct stove Adiantum from the 
East Indies. It differs essentially from the type by its stiff, 
upright habit, and by the size of its leafits, which are twice 
as large and set much farther apart. Fig. 56. 
A. cristatum. 
It is difficult to say how this plant came to receive such 
a specific name, as it has never been seen crested in culti- 
vation : it is also known as A. Kunzeanum. Though found 
in the West Indies, Venezuela, Cuba, and Caracas, it is 
most plentiful in Jamaica. The fronds are borne on strong, 
upright, somewhat woolly stalks, Gin. to 12in. long, are 
from 2ft. to 3ft. long, 9in. to 12in. broad, and furnished 
with a terminal central leaflet fully 9in. long and l^in. 
