none the less with ordinarily good care. The ruffled 
variety illustrated, var. Mandianum, Manda’s polypody, 
is most attractive. Under greenhouse conditions, the 
leaves will reach a length of six feet, arising separately 
from the creeping, scaly rootstock, but in the house, it 
will not grow so tall. Native in American tropics. 
Pteris cretica (Plate 3, figure 10). Cretan brake. 
After the Boston fern varieties, next most common 
house fern types are found in the genus Pteris, and P. 
cretica offers the most varieties. They will generally 
grow well under the conditions proper for the Boston fern, 
but require more top light to make well shaped plants. 
Native in Europe and Asia; and in Florida. The follow- 
ing varieties are among the best: 
albolineata (Plate 5, figure 1). Ribbon brake. 
Like the wild form, except that through each leaf 
division there runs a distinct white line of variegation. 
Alexandrae (Plate 5, figure 2). Alexandra’s brake. 
A crested form of the preceding, with tasselled tips. 
major, (Plate 3, figure 10). Plain green, about like the 
species. 
Mayi (Plate 5, figure 4). May’s brake. 
A crested, variegated form, with the leaf divisions 
forking lower than in Alexandrae. 
Rivertoniana (Plate 5, figure 5). Riverton brake. 
Has broad full pinnae, irregularly lobecl and ruffled. 
Wilsoni (Plate 5, figure 3). Wilson brake. 
One of the most commonly grown varieties, clear 
green with tasselled tips, forming a compact plant. 
Wimsetti multiceps (Plate 3, figure 11). Wimsett brake. 
Somewhat like Rivertoniana but with tasselled tips, 
and narrower pinnae. 
Pteris ensiformis (Plate 3, figure 12). Sword brake. 
Grown mainly in the variety variegata or Victoriae, 
Victoria brake or “Queen fern” (Plate 3, figure 13), but 
also in a ruffled variety, Sieboldi, Siebold’s brake (Plate 
13 
