1 
.s^nM^ 
THE GENERA AND SPECIES OF CULTIVATED FERNS. 
Fig. 19. 
simple, glabrous, rather erect, about ten inches high, lanceolate-acuminate, undulated and attenuated at the base. 
Son submarginal, continuous or interrupted, and confined to the upper half of the 
frond. Venation internal. 
Kl NTEOPHYUM, Kaulfuss. — Name derived from anlron, a cavern, and p/iyo, 
fijA. to grow ; alluding to the hollows on the under surface of the fronds, from 
whence the spore-cases arise. 
Sori linear, continuous or interrupted, reticulated ; sporangiferous receptacle 
immersed in the substance of the frond. Venation uniform, reticulated ; sides of 
the areoles more or less sporangiferous. Fronds simple, linear-lanceolate or 
elliptical, coriaceous. — The character which distinguishes this genus from Hemi- 
onitis, is the immersed sporangiferous receptacle; the sori of Hcmionitis being 
superficial. Fig. 19 represents the upper portion of a frond of A. lanceolatum 
(nat. size). 
1. A. lanceolatum, Kaulfuss (Hcmionitis lanceolata, Limimis). — A delicate 
evergreen stove species, from the "West Indies. Fronds simple, glabrous, one 
foot long, linear-lanceolate acuminate, attenuated at the base, slightly undulated, 
and of a light green colour. Fronds lateral, somewhat coriaceous, forming a 
dense mass on a short creeping rhizome. Venation internal. 
TTOEMIONITIS, Linnccus. — A name used by Dioscorides, and said to be derived 
IX\ from hemionos, a mule, from the supposed sterility of the plant. In this 
sense, however, the name is here obviously inapplicable ; for in addition to the 
ordinary method of propagation by spores, H. palmata is absolutely viviparous. 
Sori linear, reticulated, superficial, and subsequently confluent. Venation uniform, reticulated, sporangiferous 
on the sides of the areoles, which are nearly equal. Fronds simple, cordate palmate or pinnate, glabrous or villose. — 
The species arranged under this genus are exceedingly 
beautiful, of dwarf habit, and among the most interest- 
ing of all dwarf ferns. The character by which they 
are easily recognised is the superficial reticulated sori. 
Fig. 20 represents a frond of H. palmata (med. size). 
1. //. palmata, Linnaeus. — A very elegant evergreen 
stove fern, from Brazil and the West Indies. Fronds 
hairj', nearly one foot high, cordate and palmate, with 
five oblong-obtuse or acuminate segments, crenulate or 
bluntly lobed. Fertile fronds erect; 
^■f sterile nearly horizontal and proli- 
i| ferous in the sinus ; both terminal, 
* adherent to a fasciculate rhizome. 
eEEATOPTEEIS, Brongniart. 
— Named from kcras, a horn, 
and pteris, a fern ; alluding to the 
appearance of the fertile fronds. 
Sori linear, continuous, parallel, 
superficial, produced on the length- 
ened transverse sides of the ve- 
nules, and concealed by the reflexed 
margin of the segments. \ 'ins 
transversely elongated, and dis- 
tantly anastomosing. Fronds 
flaccid, of two kinds; the sterile 
pinnatifid or bipinnatifid, sinuate 
and viviparous; the fertile con- 
Ir.irlr.l, deronipouiul, membranous, 
multifid, with linear forked and 
viviparous segments having their 
margin-, reflexed and indusifonn.— 
The peculiar habit and structuro of this genus renders it difficult to determine its real affinity. The spore- 
cascs arc sessile, large and globose, furnished either with a br.>ad nearly complete, or very ahorl uearlj obsolete 
ring. It was originally associated -with Gleicheniacete. Fig. 21 represents portions of the sterile and fertile 
fronds (nat. size), with a portion of the fertile frond magnified, showing the position of the sori. 
Fig. 20. 
r 
