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THE GENEKA AND SPECIES OF CULTIVATED FERNS. 
293 
/£ 
in cultivation, having oblong sori and an angularly-anastomosing venation) among the Polypodies. Fig. 5S 
represents a sterile and fertile frond, of F. prolifera (nat. size). 
1. F. prolifera, Booker et Bauer (Aspidium, Hooker et Greville). — A low-growing evei'green, stove Fern, from 
Jamaica and Cuba. Fertile frond simple, glabrous, erect, four to sis inches high, lanceolate, attenuated toward 
the base, obtuse at the apex. Sori large reniform, imbricate near the apex. Indusium hairy and slightly dentate 
on the margin. Sterile frond horizontal, oblong-ovate, elongate, tapering to the apex, where it is proliferous. 
Fronds terminal, adherent to a small tufted rhizome. Hooker and Greville's figure in the Icones Filicum, gives a 
very indifferent representation of the plant. 
MEPHRODirjM, Schott (Aspidii, sp. of Autliors). — Name derived from nephros, a kidney, alluding to the reni- 
form indusium. 
Sori reniform, rarely orbicular, medial, uniserial on each side the primary veins, sometimes becoming con- 
fluent, and forming a continuous line parallel with the margin. Spore-cases occasionally echinate. Primary veins 
pinnate ; venules angularly-anastomosing, the lower or more pairs producing from their junction an excurrent 
anastomosing sterile veinlet, superior ones free. Fronds simple or pinnate, from one to four feet long. Rhizome 
creeping. — The characters which are selected to represent the present group, take in a rather extensive series of 
species, having considerable uniformity of habit, and in the circumscription of 
the fronds. They are usually free-growing Ferns, natives, chiefly, of tropical 
or sub-tropical countries, and are not impatient of cultivation. Their proximity 
to Lastrea is evident ; indeed they are only distinguishable from them by having 
an anastomosing venation, which in some species where only the lower pair of 
venules anastomose, might easily pass unperceived. Their affinity with Go- 
niopteris among the Polypodieae is so close, that if they were not furnished with 
an indusium, they would be referred there. The name Nephrodium literally 
translated, might lead to the inference that the reniform indusium was the 
primary character ; but this is not so, since nine other genera in this tribe are 
furnished with indusia of the same form. The name was, indeed, originally 
applied by Michaux to a few North American species, and was afterwards 
adopted by other authors for an extensive group, which were characterized by 
having reniform indusia ; but the genus in its present form contains a portion 
only of the species which were originally included, and is distinguished by the 
anastomosing of the venules. Fig. 59 represents a pinna of iV. terminans (nat. size) 
1. If. mitltilineatuni, Presl (Aspidium, IVallich). — An evergreen stove Fern, 
from India and Ceylon. Fronds glabrous, pinnate, two to three feet long, rather 
erect, of a lively green ; pinna? lanceolate-acuminate, petiolate, sub-cordate at 
the base, and crenate at the margin. Sori reniform ; indusium very small, and 
soon obliterated by the swelling sori. Venules all anastomosing, forming lines 
between the primary veins (hence the specific name), dividing the whole 
surface of the pinna? into rectilinear parallelograms. Stipes half the length 
of the frond ; lateral, adherent to a creeping rhizome. 
2. iV. unitum, P. Brown. — An evergreen stove Fern, from New Holland. 
Fronds glandulose, and minutely pubescent beneath, one and a half to two 
feet high, bright shining green, pinnate ; pinna? ensiform-lanceolate, five to six 
inches long, piunatifid with semi-ovate acute segments, petiolulate and sub- 
cordate at the base. Stipes of a reddish colour when young, with a few scat- 
tered scales at the base ; lateral, adherent to a creeping rhizome. This species is 
in cultivation under the name of If. lutens. 
3. If. terminans, J. Smith (Aspidium, Wallich). — An evergreen stove species, 
native of the East Indies, Philippine Islands, and Ceylon. Fronds minutely 
pubescent on the veins on the under side, pinnate, two feet high, of a lively y ' • 
green; pinna? lincar-lanccolate, pinuatifid, petiolulate, rather membranous, sub-cordato at the base, and ob- 
tusely lobed. Fronds lateral, adherent to a slender creeping rhizome. 
4. If. inol/e, Schott (Aspidium, Swartz; A. violesccns, Link). — Avery free-growing evergreen, stove Fern, 
native of the tropics of both hemispheres. Fronds pubescent, lanceolate, one to two feet long, light green ; 
pinna? linear-oblong, acuminate, piunatifid, petiolulate ; segments linear-oblong obtuse, largest, next the rachis. 
Indusium very hairy, and of a pale violet colour. Stipes with a few scales at the base ; terminal, adherent to a 
thick, somewhat creeping, rhizome. 
6. N, artictllatum, Hort. — A tall-growing evergreen store Fern, from Ceylon. Fronds glabrous, lanceolate, 
four to five feet long, pinnate, deep green ; pinnae lincar-lanccolate, or elongate-acuminate, pinuatifid, sub- 
pctiolate, obtusely cuncate at the base, and articulate with the rachis, which is of a pale chocolate colour. 
Stipes scaly ; terminal, adherent to a thick creeping rhizome. This species has been six years in cultivation, and 
was sent to Kew by the late Dr. Gardner. 
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