24 
FERNS : BRITISH AND FOREIGN. 
a, few of the more striking of these, together with 
the countries in which they are found, in order to 
draw the attention of some of our enterprising nursery- 
men to them and induce them to take steps for their 
introduction. Assuredly in this fern-loving age 
many would prove of great commercial value. First, 
there is the magnificent Matonia pectinata, found 
only on Mount Ophir, in Malacca ; a Fern resembling 
the Gleichcnias in habit, but rising to a height of five 
or six feet, with bedutiful fronds, divided, like those of 
fan-palms, into numerous pectinate segments. Two 
other Ferns of much the same habit, the Dipteris 
Wallichii and D. Horsfieldii , are likewise worthy a place 
in our gardens. The former of these is found in the 
mountains of Silhet, and the latter in Java, Borneo, 
the Philippines, Fiji, and neighbouring islands. In 
the Philippine Islands, where the Fern Flora has about 
250 representatives, there are numerous fine species,, 
such as Dryostachivm splendens and Aglaomorplicu 
Meyeniana, both somewhat resembling Drynciria quer- 
cifiolia in the general aspect and mode of growth of 
then barren fronds, both having rhizomes equally 
tenacious of life; Lomagramme pteroides, with large 
pinnate fronds three feet high, having long linear,, 
lanceolate articulate pinnae, bearing amorphous sori> 
Phoiin opteris Horsfieldii , the glistening sterile fronds 
of which are pinnate and between two and three feet 
high, and have very broad elliptic-lanceolate pinnae, 
similar to the common laurel, while the fertile ones 
are very much contracted ; Gleichenia cxcelsa, a very 
strong-growing species with fronds five or six feet high,, 
having spreading pinnae two to three feet in length. 
The beautiful Schizoccena Brunonis of Penang and 
