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THE GENERA AND SPECIES OF CULTIVATED FERNS. 
The rather numerous species forming this genus are all exceedingly beautiful and not difficult of cultivation. 
Although distributed abundantly throughout tropical and sub-tropical regions, yet but few of them have been 
introduced to English gardens until recently, and even now owing chiefly to the indefatigable exertions of some 
of our nurserymen in the importation of exotic Orchids. The 
character that distinguishes them from other genera is the tubu- 
lose indusium. Fig. 72 represents a portion of the sterile and 
fertile frond of D. pyxidata (nat. size), with a magnified fertile 
segment, shewing the position of the veins, sori, and indusium. 
1 . I). pentapkylla, Blume. — A dwarf-growing evergreen stove 
Fern, from Java. Fronds glabrous, pinnate, nearly a foot long, 
bright shining green; pinna? lanceolate, petiolate, coriaceous, 
cuneate at the base, and crenate-serrate on the margin. Fronds 
lateral, articulated with a creeping rhizome, about the size of a 
goose-quill, which is densely covered with long narrow hair-like 
scales. Usually there are but two pairs of pinnae besides the ter- 
minal one. This species has been recently introduced by Messrs. 
Eollisson of Tooting, and Messrs. Veitcb of Exeter. 
2. D. ornata, ^Yallich. — A very interesting evergreen stove 
Fern, from Borneo. Fronds glabrous, deltoid, one to one and a 
half foot long, bright shining green, bipinnate ; pinnae triangu- 
larly elongate ; pinnules broad, coriaceous, oblong-ovate, fertile 
lanceolate, inferior triangularly elongate, distant, deeply pinnatifid; 
superior confluent, cuneate at the base and slightly serrate on the 
margin. Fronds lateral, articulated with a scandent rhizome, 
winch is densely clothed with woolly scales, especially when 
young. This species was imported by Messrs. Low, nurserymen, 
Clapton, about four years since. 
3. D.solida, Swartz. — An ornamental evergreen stove species, 
native of the East Indies and islands of the Pacific Ocean. Fronds 
glabrous, deltoid, bi-tri -pinnate, one to one and a half foot long, 
dark green; pinnules oblong, acute, deeply pinnatifid, largest next 
the rachis on the upper side, inferior ones cuneate at the base, 
superior ones confluent, inciso -serrate on the margin. Fronds 
lateral, articulated with a frutescent scandent rhizome, which is 
thickly clothed with long narrow brown woolly scales. 
-A glabrous evergreen stove Fern, a native of South Africa. Frond deltoid, bi-tri- 
pinnate, a foot or more long, dark green ; pinnules triangularly elongate or oblong-ovate, cuneate at the base and 
dentate at the margin. Fertile frond deltoid, segments very obtuse, and soriferous throughout. Rhizome 
creeping. This species is very scarce in cultivation ; the only fronds we have seen were cultivated by Messrs. 
Loddiges, of Hackney. 
5. D. canariensis, Smith (Polypodium lusitanicum, Linnicus). — A beautiful evergreen warm greenhouse Fern, 
from the South of Europe, the Canaries, and Madeira. Fronds glabrous, triangular, three-branched, one to one 
and a half foot long, supradecompound, light green ; pinnules oblong, pinnatifid, decurrent at the base, with 
linear dentate or bidentate segments. Sori solitary. Fronds lateral, articulated with a short thick scaly, some- 
what scandent rhizome. The Hare's foot Fern of the gardens. 
6. 7). giMerosa, Swartz. — An evergreen warm greenhouse Fern, a native of the islands of the Pacific Ocean. 
Fronds glabrous, deltoid, a foot or more long, tripinnate, light green ; pinnules oblong pinnatifid, with linear 
obtuse segments, decurrent at the base. Fronds lateral, articulated with a short scaly creeping rhizome. 
7. D. pyxidata, Cavanilles. — A deciduous shrubby warm greenhouso Fern, from New Holland. Fronds glabrous, 
deltoid, tripinnate, one and a half to two feet long, light green; pinnules oblong, pinnatifid, with oblong-obtuse 
dentate segments, decurrent at the base. Fronds lateral, articulated with a frutescent semi-erect, scaly, slender 
caudex, attaining the height of three feet or more. 
8. IK cpiphylta, Swartz. — A very elegant evergreen stove species, from the East Indies. Fronds glabrous, 
triangularly elongate, three to four feet long, tri-quadri-pinnate, bright shining green ; pinnae and pinnules 
triangularly elongate, sub-caudate, ultimate segments linear-oblong, pinnatifid, decurrent at the base, serrate at 
the margin. Fronds lateral. Rhizome creeping. This is an exceedingly rare species in cultivation ; the only 
frond we have seen was cultivated in the Horticultural Society's garden at Chiswick. 
9. J), dissccta, J. Smith MS. — A beautiful evergreen stove Fern, from Java. Fronds slender, glabrous, 
triangular, tri-quadri-pinnate, one to one and a half foot long, light green ; pinna; triangularly elongate, acuminate ; 
pinnules membranous, oblong, deeply pinnatifid, with linear dentate segments, decurrent at the base. Fronds 
lateral, articulated with a slender elongated scandent rhizome, densely covered with narrow fimbriate scabs. 
Rachis, midrib of pinna?, and pinnules winged. This species was introduced in 1849, by Messrs. Rollisson of Tooting. 
Fig. 72. 
4. D. nitidida. Kunze.- 
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