146 
Choice Ferns for Amateurs. 
ASPIDIUM — continued, 
densely covered with the overlapping bases of former stalks. 
The newer portion is of a very chaffy nature, being thickly 
clothed with large, egg-shaped scales of a peculiar rusty- 
brown colour. The stiff leathery fronds are smooth and 
shining, very dark green in colour, and are disposed in 
shuttlecock fashion at the top of the rootstock. They are 
borne on scaly stalks lin. to 4in. long, vary in length from a 
few inches to l^ft., and are from lin. to 2in. broad. 
According to Mr. Reeve it is best grown in " a shady 
part of the rockery, where it can be kept constantly damp 
without ever being wet." It must be planted firmly in a 
compost of equal parts sandy loam and peat with a liberal 
admixture of sand, as early in the spring as possible, and 
if a hiand-glass or bell-glass is placed over it for la short 
time it is all the better, as this will keep the soil moist about 
it for some time without the application of much water, after 
which it should be gradually inured to more air. It is 
usually increased by means of its spores, which should be 
sown as soon as ripe. Division of its crowns is at all times a 
very risky operation. 
A. macrophyllum. 
The plant usually listed under this name is Nephrodium 
macrophyllum. 
A. mucronatum. 
This lovely, dwarf, close-growing, evergreen, easily- 
cultivated, stove species is a native of Jamaica, and through 
the leathery texture of its fronds, their dark colour, and 
their stiff habit, somewhat resembles our Holly Fern (A. 
Lonchitis), though more graceful in habit (Fig. 68). 
A. munitum. 
When well grown and fully developed, this is one of the 
finest of North American Ferns. The spear-shaped 
evergreen, leathery fronds are bright shining green 
above and paler beneath. They seldom exceed 2ft. in length 
and Sin. in breadth under cultivation, and are borne on 
tufted, straw-coloured stalks 4in. to Din. long, densely 
clothed with large, glossy, light brown scales. The leaflets, 
which are very numerous, are from Sin. to 4in. long, ^in. 
broad, and closely set ; they are nearly straight, and their 
margin is finely but sharply saw-toothed. The large and 
conspicuous sori are disposed in two rows near the edge. 
A, pungens. 
Very pretty greenhouse species, native of the Cape 
Colony and Natal, chiefly distinguished by the wide-creeping 
