182 
Choice Ferns for Amateurs. 
CHKIL^A^THKS— continued. 
narrow, reddish-brown scales. The leaflets, of a somewhat 
leathery texture and deltoid, are about ^in. long, ^in. 
broad, opposite, and cut down to the rachis below into 
several pinnatifid, linear-oblong lobes. The small and 
numerous sori are covered by light brown involucres of a 
parchment-like teture, and toothed all round. Fig. 82 is 
reduced from Col. Beddome's ''Ferns of British India'' by 
the kind permission of the author. 
C. hirta. 
This very handsome, delicate-looking, greenhouse 
species, native of the Cape of Good Hope, Port Natal, 
Grahamstown, Mexico, and the Java Mountains, is one 
of the most decorative of the genus. Its pale green, brittle 
fronds are produced from a somewhat erect crown, and 
borne on strong, erect stalks 2in. to 4in. long, densely 
coated with spreading, woolly hairs of a bright reddish- 
brown colour; they are 4in. to 12in. long, 2in. to 5in. 
broad, spear-shaped, and three times divided half-way to 
the midrib. The leaflets, also spear-shaped, are opposite, 
and spread from the main stalk at right angles ; they are 
lin. to 3in. long, and are cut down to the midrib into 
numerous leafits which are scarcely more than |in. long 
and again pinnatifid and notched; their margin is much 
incurved. The abundant bright reddish sori are distinct, 
and are disposed all round the edge of each segment 
of the fertile frond, and eventually become confluent. This 
species varies greatly in size and hairiness, the most dis- 
tinct form being the one generally found in gardens under 
the name of C. Ellisiana of Moore, which has fronds much 
broader, more finely divided, and of a more upright habit, 
than those of the typical plant. 
C. Lindheimeri. 
A very pretty greenhouse species, native of Western 
Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. Its fronds, 3in. to Gin. 
long, l^in. to 2in. broad, are produced from a thin, slender 
rootstock, several inches long, very nearly black, and 
bearing a few rusty-coloured scales at the base, and are 
borne on wiry, dark chestnut-brown coloured stalks Sin. to 
Gin. long and thinly clothed with narrow-spear-shaped 
scales. The spear-shaped leaflets are numerous, and cut 
into many linear-oblong leafits, which are again cut into 
numerous minute, roundish segments. The upper surface 
is webby with slender branching hairs, which are much en- 
tangled and constitute a heavy tomentum of exceedingly 
delicate hairs having no evident articulations. When the 
frond is very old this webbiness partly wears off, while the 
