A Dictionary of Choice Ferns. 
511 
PTERIS — continued. 
leaflets, the lowest pair being usuially divided into two parts ; 
they are lalmost stalkless and opposite, deeply cleft or even 
pinnate, with narrow, sickle-shaped, rather blunt leafits, 
slightly toothed at the edges and minutely white-dotted 
beneath. The spore masses are disposed chiefly on the 
mid-die parts of the leafits. As the specific name implies, 
the stalks are rough; the leafy portion of the fronds is very 
attractive, being bright claret when quite young, turning 
to a bronzy, metallic hue, and subsequently to a bright 
green. The Malaysia variety, P. a. tricolor, is one of the 
most charming Ferns ever introduced, being graceful in 
habit, of medium dimensions, and splendidly variegated 
with green, white, and red. Fig. 119, 
P. Bausei. 
One of the most striking of all the known garden 
hybrids, clearly showing the distinctive characters of the 
parents from which it was produced. These are stated 
to be P. sewApinnata and a crested form of P. serrulata. 
In habit, size, and formation of fronds, it is inter- 
mediate between the two. The very compact habit of this 
Fern, which retains its foliage for a lengthened period, 
renders it a most useful decorative plant for the warm con- 
servatory and intermediate house. For several years this 
Fern was considered barren. Its fertile character was, 
however, proved by Mens. Arthur van den Heede, of Ghent. 
P. cretica. 
Deservedly one of the most useful Ferns for decorative 
purposes, and the few varieties which have been produced 
through cultivation are all worthy of special attention. It 
is a greenhouse species, native of Crete, Corsica, Italy, 
Abyssinia, Bourbon, Natal, Cape Colony, &c. Its fronds, 
6in. to 12in. long and 4in. to 8in. broad, are borne on erect, 
wiry stalks 6in. to 12in. long. The lateral leaflets are 
broadest and finely toothed when barren ; the lower pairs 
are often cleft nearly to the base into two or three narrow 
leafits. They are of a somewhat leathery texture and naked 
on both surfaces, and the involucre is of a pale colour and of 
a parchment-like texture. Of the varieties produced, the 
more noteworthy are P. c. alho-lineata (Fig. 6, p. 9), 
P. c. Mayii, P. c. nohilis, P. c. Ouvrardii, and P. c. Wimsetti. 
The first two are remarkably handsome variegated Ferns. 
P. elegans. 
A garden name for P. nohilis. 
P. ensiformis Victorise. 
This variety, whicli is exactly the same plant as P. e. 
variegata of Moore, previously introduced, is a remarkably 
