231 
PARKERIA PTERIDOIDES. 
Pteris-like Parkeria. 
(Class and Order, Generic Character, &c. see T. 147. of this Work.) 
The figure and description of this plant would indeed be imperfectly given 
in this work, were we not to publish supplementary ones to those which 
will be found at T. 147. Our friend Mr Parker, the discoverer of the 
plant, has recently had the good fortune to receive from Demerara living 
plants, which, planted in water in the Liverpool Botanic Garden, have 
flourished in the greatest perfection. From these, it appears, that when 
the fructification becomes ripe, the fronds have decayed away. These 
fronds float on the wa.ter like the leaves of Trapa nutans; several pro- 
ceed from the same root, and are broadly ovate, 3-lobed, cut and notch- 
ed at the margin, thin, and somewhat membranaceous, the base tapers 
into a remarkably thick cellulose footstalk, having many small scales on 
the under side. The frond is proliferous in a most remarkable degree: 
every notch and cleft having the power of throwing out a new plant ; 
and a piece torn from the parent, and suffered to remain in the water, 
becomes clothed, in a short time, with new plants, as seen at Fig. 1. 
From the centre of the fronds, as at Fig. 3., the fertile stipes, which bears 
the fructification, arises ; and till this fertile frond is fully grown, the 
barren fronds retain all their vigour of form and colour ; and in this 
state the plant is most beautiful. 
If kept in the stove, this plant is by no means difficult of 
cultivation. 
Fig. 1. Proliferous portion of a frond. Fig. 2. Young fronds. Fig. 3. 
Fronds more advanced. Fig. 4. Under side of a frond. Fig. 5. Sec- 
tion of the petiole.—^// hut Fig. 5. of the natural size. 
VOL. III. 
