180 
Choice Ferns for Amateurs. 
CHKlLANTHKS-continued. 
Fern. Its pretty and delicate-looking fronds, 4in. to 12in. 
long and borne on tufted, erect, scaly stalks, are produced 
from a creeping rootstock nearly as thick as a goose-quill, 
several inches long, covered with closely-pressed, rigid- 
pointed, nearly black scales ; they are tri- or quadripinnate, 
with the ultimate divisions of the leaflets nearly round 
(Fig 81), small, deep green above, and covered with fine 
white scales beneath. The numerous sori are disposed in 
interrupted series on the edges of the segments. 
C. dealbata. 
Synonymous with C. farinosa. 
C. Eatoni. 
A very distinct and pretty greenhouse. North America 
species, that in general appearance is somewhat similar to 
the well-known C. tomentosa, but smaller in all its parts; 
it also differs from that species in being coated with rather 
rigid-pointed scales instead of mere woolly hairs on the 
stalks and midrib of the leaflets beneath, and in being 
matted with tomentum on the upper surface of its fronds. 
C. eleg^ans. 
Synonymous with C. myriophylla, 
C. farinosa. 
This magnificent stove species, frequently found in 
gardens under the name of Aleuritopteris mexicana, has a 
very extensive habitat. It is found in Africa, on the 
Cameroon Mountains, in Zambesi Land, Abyssinia, &c. ; 
in the Malayan Peninsula, Java, and the Philippine 
Islands; in Brazil and Mexico up to 8,000ft. elevation; in 
Guatemala and New Granada ; on the Neilgherries, and in 
other mountainous districts of the Madras Presidency, it is 
called the Silver Fern. In size it is very variable, its 
fronds ranging from Sin. to 12in. in length and Sin. to Gin. 
in breadth, and being borne on densely-tufted stalks Sin. to 
Gin. long, of a dark chestnut-brown colour, and clothed with 
narrow scales when young; they are usually spear-shaped, 
sometimes deltoid, and twice or thrice divided half-way to 
the midrib ; the somewhat leathery leaflets are disposed in 
opposite pairs, the lowest ones often much the largest, with 
the lowest leafits longer than the others and deeply pin- 
natifid, most of the others having a broad, entire central 
space. In mature fronds the under-surface is densely 
covered with pure white powder ; their upper surface is of 
a dull green, slightly speckled with white. The small, 
brown sori are placed in a continuous line along the edges, 
their coverings extending throughout every fertile segment 
of the frond. C. dealbata is another name for this species. 
