258 
Choice Ferns for Amateurs. 
Y^KPHRODIVM— continued. 
is very varmble. Its fronds, 1ft. to 2ft. long land 1ft. broad, 
are produced from a wide-creeping rhizome, and borne on 
firm stalks 1ft. to l^ft. long, and scaly only at the base. They 
are broadly triangular, with their lowest leaflets much the 
largest, sometimes measuring 9in. long and 4in. broad: these 
are divided into spear-shaped and more or less deeply-cleft 
leafits, with unequal-sided, deeply-cleft, and lobed segments. 
The rachis and under-side of the frond, which is of a soft, 
papery texture, are more or less woolly, and the rather 
large and prominent sori are placed midway between the 
midrib and the edge. This species is of comparatively easy 
culture. It is usually of medium growth, exceedingly useful 
for table-decoration, and also for forming an edging in the 
rockery in front of taller kinds. 
N. dilatatum. 
The Broad, Prickly-toothed, Buckler Fern is world- 
wide in its distribution. In England it is so common that 
no' locality need be specified. Still, on account of its decora- 
tive qualities and its hardihood, it is one of the most 
valuable Ferns for the adornment of the rockery or the 
shrubbery. It grows very well upon elevated positions and 
in exposed situations, although it will attain greater size 
and beauty when accorded a shady spot than when grown in 
full exposure to light. If grown as a pot-plant, it must be 
allowed a moderate space for its roots, and it prefers a 
compost of fibrous loam, peat, and sand, in about equal pro- 
portions. When sheltered, it retains its fronds through the 
winter. It may be freely increased by means of its spores, 
which ripen about September and germinate very freely. 
The finely-divided fronds attain 6ft. in length and l^ft. in 
breadth ; they are dark green above, paler below, and their 
leafits are more or less twisted or contorted. Still, the 
plant varies considerably with its habitat. In dry places 
the fronds are smaller and less divided than when the plant 
grows in wet. The sori are near the mid-vein, and at first 
are kidney-shaped, finally becoming circular. Its forms are 
very numerous. 
N. dissectum. 
This very handsome, strong-growing, stove ^ species 
(better known as N. memh rani folium) is found in New 
Caledonia, Ceylon, Madagascar, and the Philippine Islands, 
&c. Its ample deltoid fronds, borne on rather slender 
stalks 1ft. or more long, clothed towards the base with 
narrow scales of a dark brown colour, are from 1ft. to 5ft. 
long and 1ft. to 3ft. broad. The lower leaflets, which 
sometimes are simply pinnatifid, with broad^ blunt lobes 
