276 
Choice Ferns for Amateurs. 
with which the under-side is copiously coated varies greatly 
in colour, sometimes being lalmost white or pale sulphur- 
yellow, while on some specimens it is of quite a deep yellow 
inclining to orange. ' 
N. lanuginosa. 
A pretty and deli- 
cate, greenhouse 
species, easily distin- 
guished from all others 
by the dense, white, 
woolly substance which 
covers its fronds. It 
is one of the few spe- 
cies native of the South 
of Europe, and is well 
adapted for growing in 
the crevices of the cool 
rockery, where it 
should be planted with 
very little soil around 
it, and in an elevated 
and exposed situation. 
N. Marantas. 
This exceedingly 
pretty, greenhouse or 
even hardy species is 
found in the Hima- 
layas, in Syria and 
Tauria, in the Azores, 
and Madeira. From 
a rhizome of a woody 
nature, and densely 
covered with bright 
rusty-coloured, narrow 
scales, are produced 
some broadly spear- 
shaped fronds, 4in. to 
12in. long, IJin. to Sin. 
broad, and borne on 
strong, wiry stalks Sin. to Gin. long; they are bipinnate, being 
furnished with spear-shaped leaflets cut down to the riachis 
into close, oblong, entire, thick, leathery leafits. The upper 
surfiace, of a pale green colour, is naked, while the under- 
side is thickly covered with reddish-brown scales. The sori 
are disposed ^ill along the margins of the leaflets. This 
Fern not only prefers, but really requires, thoroughly cold 
Fig. 109. 
One of the star=shaped 
fronds of the pretty Nothochlaena 
HooKeri. 
