m 
-<& 
THE GENERA AND SPECIES OF CULTIVATED FERNS. 
I 
pinnatifid ; pinnse approximate, lanceolate, tlie lower six inches long ; pinnules flat, distant, oblong-acuminate, 
largest next the rachis, with oblong-obtuse inciso-serrate segments, serratures sub-bidentate. Stipes, rachis, and 
midrib of pinnse reddish while growing, but of a pale-straw colour when dry. Sori oblong, reniform, or sub- 
lunate, crowded ; indusium fringed on the free margin. Fronds terminal, with a few scattered scales on the 
stipes ; adherent to a creeping rhizome. 
\ AI.LANTODIA. 
56. A. Brownii, J. Smith (Allantodia australis,JJ.iJroit'«). — An ornamental evergreen warm greenhouse Fern, 
from New Holland and Van Dicmen's Land. Fronds glabrous, ovate-lanceolate, somewhat drooping, sub-tripin- 
nate, two to three feet long, deep green ; pinna? lanceolate ; pinnules oblong-acuminate, segments rather ovate, 
largest next the rachis, and dentate at the margin. Stipes scaly ; terminal, adherent to a thick creeping rhizome. 
Sori short, oblong, crowded, often two on one vein opening from each other; indusium vaulted and revolute. 
57. A. axittare, J. Smith (Allantodia axillaris, Kaulfiiss ; Aspidiuni axillare, Swariz). — An ornamental ever- 
green warm greenhouse Fern, from Madeira. Fronds glabrous, sub-deltoid, ovate-lanceolate, drooping, from two 
to three feet long, tripinnatifid, lively green ; pinnse lanceolate ; pinnules distant, drooping, narrow, oblong-acumi- 
nate, falcate ; segments oblong-ovate, largest on the upper side next the rachis ; margin dentate. Stipes scaly at 
the base ; terminal, adherent to a thick creeping rhizome. Sori oblong, occasionally two on a vein ; indusium 
vaulted and revolute. 
58. A. umbrosum, J. Smith (Allantodia umbrosa, It. Brown), — An ornamental evergreen warm greenhouse 
species, from Madeira. Fronds glabrous, rather ovate, three to four feet long, tripinnate, light green ; pinna? 
lanceolate, lower ones standing forward ; pinnules flat, lanceolate ; segments oblong-linear, rounded at the apex, 
lower ones distant and pinnatifid, margin crenate-dentate. Stipes with a few dark scales at the base ; terminal, 
adherent to a thick short horizontal rhizome. 
flETERACH, Willdenoic. — Name corrupted from cheterak, applied to this plant by the Persian physicians. 
J) Sori oblong or linear, unilateral on the sides of free or anatomosing venules, protruding through dense elon- 
gated scales. Indusium none. Veins forked or pinnate ; venules free, 
or anastomosing, the lower exterior one soriferous on the side facing the 
rachis. Fronds linear, sinuous, pinnatifid or pinnate, from four to eight 
inches long, densely covered beneath with elongated fimbriate scales. 
— The station of these Ferns in regard to classification, and the existence 
or absence of imlusia are points which have elicited much controversy. 
They were formerly classed in Grammitis or Gymnogramma, from being 
destitute of an indusium ; but the unilateral oblique sori clearly indicate 
that the affinity lies more with Aspleniea? than with any other tribe. The 
genus comprises a few very elegant dwarf species, natives of Europe and 
the Cape of Good Hope ; but only one of them is at present in cultivation, 
and that is an indigenous species. In consequence of the frond being 
densely covered beneath with elongated scales, their true character is not 
easily determined. Some assert that an indusium is present in an early 
stage, but obliterated by the scales ; others imagine there is a slight trace 
of it in a thickening of the veins ; hut an examination of the fronds in all 
stages from infancy to maturity, has failed to show us any indusium, even 
though prosecuted by the tedious process of removing scale by scale 
under a microscope ; hence wo consider it as absolutely destitute of an 
indusium as any true Polypodium. Nor is this all the difficulty attending 
the proper classification and definition of these few species, for the vena- 
tion in the European species is anastomosing, whereas in two others 
found on the Table Mountain at the Cape of Good Hope, the venation 
is forked and free ! Fig. 49 represents a frond of 0. qfficinarum, (mod. 
size, a portion magnified, showing the position of the sori and vena- 
tion). 
1. C. qfficinarum, 'Willdenow (Grammitis Cctcrach, Swariz). — A dwarf 
hardy evergreen species, indigenous to Britain, and generally distributed 
throughout the middle and southern countries of Europe, Madeira, and 
North Africa. Fronds lanceolate, simple, sinuate-pinnatifid, from four to 
eight inches long ; segments oblong-obtuse ; upper surface glabrous, 
bright green, the lower surface densely covered with fimbriated chaffy scales, 
somowhat tufted rhizome. 
Fiij. 19. 
Fronds terminal, adherent to a 
MEOTTOrTERIS, /. Smith.— Name derived from ncottia, a bird's nest, and pleris, a fern ; in allusion to the 
close circular arrangement of the fronds around the crown, forming a hollow, in which it is reported that 
birds build their nests. 
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