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THE GENERA AND SPECIES OF CULTIVATED FERNS. 
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to eight in each segment ; spore-eases medial, their pedicels concrete. Special indusium lateral, cucullate, and 
very membranous. Veins (fertile) simple direct, free ; or (sterile) reticulated. Fronds pinnate or bipinnate, a 
foot or more high. Rhizome creeping. — One of the most peculiar examples of the occasional modifications of the 
sterile and fertile fronds of Ferns, is developed in this genus. It appears as though nature had bestowed a double 
portion of care, in preserving the reproductive organs of this singular plant. The pinnules of the fertile fronds 
are rolled up, so as to form concave, oblong, or sub-globose bacciform segments, which absolutely conceal the 
whole of the sori, which are compactly filled with confluent spore-cases. "When these segments are cut 
open, there appears a cucullate membrane attached to the sporangiferous receptacle, on the inner side, which is 
analogous to what occurs in many other species of Aspidieoe ; hence its relationship to this tribe, to which it bears 
the same affinity as Struthiopteris does to Polypodium. A solitary species only of the genus is in cultivation, 
and only two are described. Fig. 56 represents a portion of the sterile frond, and nearly the whole of the fertile 
frond of 0. sensibilis (med. size). 
1. 0. sensibilis, Linnseus. — A hardy deciduous Fern, from North America. Sterile fronds glabrous, triangular, 
one to two feet high, pale green, pinnate , pinnas oblong-lanceolate, sinuately pinnatifid, superior ones decurrent 
at the base, segments rather oblong, very obtuse, entire at the margin. Fertile frond contracted, nearly as tall as 
the sterile one, bipinnate ; pinnules rugose, sessile, 12-20 on each pinna, forming an unilateral raceme of oblong, 
ovate, or sub-globose bacciform segments, which conceal the sori. Veins in the fertile fronds simple, direct, free ; 
in the sterile ones reticulated. Fronds lateral, adherent to a creeping rhizome. 
gYRTOMIUM, Presl (Aspidii, sp. of Authors). — Name derived from hyrtos, 
convex, in allusion to the curved venules. 
Sori round, numerous, medial, transversely-multiserial. Indusium orbi- 
cular, attached by its centre. Veins pinnate ; venules angularly anasto- 
mosing, the lower exterior one free and fertile, producing from their exterior 
side or angular junction, from one to three excurrent fertile free veinlets. 
Fronds pinnate, from one to two feet long ; pinna? oblique, falcate, entire 
or spinulose on the margin. — This genus 
has but one representative in cultivation, 
and only two are at present described. 
In venation and in the position of the sori, 
it is analogous to Goniophlebium, and Cyr- 
tophlebium, in the tribe Polypodiess, but 
its habit is at variance with that of those 
genera, independently of it being furnished 
with an indusium. Fig. 57 represents a 
pinna of C. falcatum (med. size). 
1. C. falcatum, Presl (Aspidium Swartz). 
■ — A very handsome evergreen half hardy 
or greenhouse Fern, from Japan. Fronds 
lanceolate, shining, bright green, pinnate, 
one and a half to two feet long ; pinnas 
coriaceous, ovate-acuminate, falcate, re- 
pand, petiolate, somewhat round at the 
base, and slightly crenate at the margin. 
Eachis and stipes covered with very large 
brown scales ; terminal, adherent to an 
erect rhizome. Sori scattered. Indusium 
orbicular. 
^ADYENIA, BooJcer.— Name comme- 
2\. morative of the late Dr. M'Fadyen, 
of Jamaica. 
Fronds of two hinds. The fertile fronds 
contracted. Sori roundish or oblong-reni- 
s 
Fig. 57. 
form, transversely uniserial, produced on the upper portion of a veinlet, in 
the costal areoles. Indusium lateral, very large, and of the same form as 
the sori. Veins forked ; venules anastomosing and reticulate, the lower ex- 
terior venule of each fascicle free and fertile. — This genus is established on 
a solitary Jamaica species, introduced about seven years ago. It is a dwarf- 
growing Fern, and is remarkable for its exceedingly large indusium, and 
oblong reniform sori, which have a great resemblance to those of Didymochlsna. In venation and in the 
position of the sori, Fadyenia is analogous among the Aspidieas to Goniophlebium and Synammia (a genus not 
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