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THE GENERA AND SPECIES OF CULTIVATED FERNS. 
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THE GENERA AND SPECIES OF CULTIVATED FERNS. 
By Mr. J. HOULSTON, Royal Botanic Garden, Kew ; and Mb. T. MOORE, F.B.S. 
It is the intention of the series of papers of which the present is the commencement, to enumerate and 
describe, in a popular form, all the Ferns which have been known in cultivation in this country ; and, 
at the same time, by means of ample generic definitions, accompanied by wood-cuts, to afford some 
insight into the modern classification of the most elegant family of the vegetable kingdom. 
Sub-order — Polypodiace.e : Tribe — Polypodies. 
Sect. I. — Orthophlcbica;, J. Smith. — From orthos, straight, and phleps, a vein ;the veins being either simple, or forked, but not 
forming a network. 
(fflRAMMITIS, Swartz. — Name derived from gramme, lettering; alluding to the sori. 
f^J Fronds simple, linear, with entire or serrulate margins, plane or concave at the apex. Sori oval, oblong 
oblique ; spore-cases lateral. Veins simple or forked, internal ; the soriferous venule sometimes 
very short. — This genus, from its linear-oblique naked sori, has considerable affinity with Lepto- 
gramnia, but is easily distinguished by its dwarf habit, elongated sori, and free venation. There 
are many known species, but one only has hitherto been introduced in a living state. Fig. 1 repre- 
sents the upper portion of a frond of G. attstralis (nat. size). 
1. G. australis, R. Brown. — A very interesting evergreen greenhouse species; native of New 
Holland. Fronds terminal, adherent to a tufted rhizome, from four to six inches long, simple, 
Linear-acuminate, attenuate, at the base, with linear-oblique sori, confined to the upper portion 
of the frond, occupying the whole of the venule. Stipes hairy. 
\jg\OLYPODIUM, Limi'em. — Name derived from polys, many, and pom, a foot; the creeping 
IX rhizome having many foot-like divisions or tubercules, like those on the feelers of polypes. 
Sori circular, rarely oval or oblong, naked, trans- 
verse, uniserial solitary or irregular; spore-case ter- 
minal or lateral, sometimes seated in a deep cyst or 
cavity forming elevated protuberances on the upper 
surface of the fronds. Veins simple, forked or pinnate, 
free. Fronds varying from a few inches to four or Fin. i 
five feet high ; from simple to pinnate, and decompound ; multifid, 
coriaceous, membranous, glabrous, villose or glandulose. — Before 
this genus was divested of the species possessing a reticulated 
venation, it contained between 200 and 300 species which were 
widely different in habit, texture and circumscription of frond, and 
are at present distributed among nine genera. The true Polypo- 
■*V- -■ diums have naked circular (rarely oblong) sori, with simple forked 
or pinnate free veins. Fig. 2 represents a portion of P. vulgare (nat. size). 
1. J', vulgare, Linnams. — A hardy, ornamental, evergreen, indigenous Fern,* common in Europe, Asia, and 
North America. Fronds one foot high, dark green, lateral, articulated on a creeping scaly rhizome ; pinnatifid, 
the segments lanceolate, obtuse, with a crenulatc or serrulate margin. Sori confined to the upper portion of tbo 
frond, arranged in a single row on each side of the midrib of the lobes (uniserial) ; spore-cases attached to the 
apex of an excurrent venule (terminal) ; apices of veins club-shaped. 
Several forms of the common Polypodium arc found with the segments more or less pinnatifid, lobed, crenate, 
serrate, or bifid at the apex ; but two or more may often be detected growing on the same plant. The only 
form that appears to maintain its distinct character is 1'. cambricum, Limunt.s, the segments of which arc deeply 
and interruptedly pinnatifid. It is very elegant, but usually without fructification. 
2. P.plumula, Humboldt. — An exceedingly beautiful evergreen, stove species, from the West Indies and 
South America. Fronds six to ten inches long, delicate green, the stipes and rachis black, lateral, articulated on 
a creeping rhizome ; lanceolate, sub-pinnate, with numerous linear, parallel, horizontal, pinna). Sori uniserial, 
on the upper portion of the frond. 
3. P. peclinatum, Ldnnceus. — A veiy beautiful, evergreen, stove Fern ; native of the West Indies. Fronds 
from one to one and a half feet long, pubescent, lateral, articulated on a creeping rhizome; sub-pinnate, the 
pinna) linear, parallel, horizontal. Stipes and rachis black. Sori uniserial, of a bright yellow ish-brown, occupy- 
ing the whole under surface. 
4. P. Paradisem, Langsdorf and Fischer. — A very handsome, evergreen, stove species ; from Brazil and the 
West Indies. Fronds pubescent, from two to five feet long, very slender, the stipes and rachis blackish-brown ; 
they are lateral, articulated on a creeping rhizome; lanceolate-elongate, sub-pinnate, the segments linear, nearly 
horizontal, narrowing to the base. Slip.'.- very short. Sori uniserial, terminal, occupying nearly tho whole 
frond. Cultivated in gardens under the na of /'. otitis. 
• For moro ample descriptions and figures of tho British species, see Handbook of British Ferns. London: Groomhridgo. 
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