146 
THE GENERA AND SPECIES OF CULTIVATED FERNS. 
tropical or subtropical regions; and under cultivation are only seen in tbeir natural character, when a liberal 
allowance of pot and head room, and a rather high temperature, with abundance of moisture, is supplied to 
them. 
AEATTIA, Smith. —Name commemorative of J. T. Maratti, of Yallombrosa, in Tuscany, a writer on Ferns. 
Sori linear, submarginal, consisting of a transverse row of large oblong opaque 
multilocular spore-cases, one on each vein ; each spore-case sessile, distinct, solitary, 
subterminal, longitudinally bivalved; each valve laterally connate, and containing 
from six to twelve cells, opening by a vertical slit internally. Veins forked; 
venules direct, free. Fronds stipitate, glabrous or muricate, from four to eight feet 
long, bi-tri-pinnate. Eachis sometimes winged. Ehizome large, fleshy, sub-globose, 
or caudiciform and erect.—The most prominent feature by which this genus may be 
recognized from all others, except Angiopteris and Eupodium, is its large robust- 
growing fronds, swollen at the base of the pinnse and stipes, where they have an 
indistinct articulation; but it is so closely allied to the genera above mentioned, 
that it can only be distinguished from them when in fructification, the technical 
distinctions between these genera being based upon the position or formation of the 
spore-cases. The marks which characterize Marattia are, that the spore-cases are 
oblong, sessile, and multilocular. Fig. 92 represents a pinnule of M. cicutcefolia 
(med. size) with a spore-case (magn). 
1. M, elegans , Endlicher.—An ornamental, evergreen, warm greenhouse Fern, 
a native of Ascension and Norfolk Islands, and New Zealand. Fronds glabrous, 
bi-tripinnate, six to nine feet high, darkish green ; pinnules lanceolate petiolulate, 
coriaceous, serrate at the apex, unequal or obliquely truncate at the base, slightly 
serrate at the margin, and articulate with the rachis. Midrib of pinnae marginate 
or slightly winged. Stipes three to four feet long, very stout, rough towards the 
base, and clothed with woolly scales, especially when young. Base of the pinnae and 
stipes swollen, and indistinctly articulated. 
M. elegans /3 erecta .—An evergreen stove Fern, from Ascension Island. Fronds 
glabrous, dark green, three to four feet long, bipinnate; pinnules lanceolate, 
coriaceous, petiolulate, truncate at the base, serrate at the margin. Stipes rounded, 
muricate. Fronds terminal, indistinctly articulated with a thick, fleshy, foliaceous, 
erect caudiciform rhizome, attaining the height of a foot or more. 
2. M. cicutcefolia, Kaulfuss.—A robust-growing evergreen stove Fern, from Brazil. 
Fronds glabrous, bi-tripinnate, from four to six feet high, bright green; pinnules lan¬ 
ceolate, petiolulate, articulate, serrate at the apex, unequal or obliquely truncate at the 
base, and deeply serrated with large triangular teeth on the margin, the apex often irre¬ 
gularly lobed, deeply pinnatifid, and leafy. Stipes rounded, muricate, scaly while young, 
and much swollen at the base. Midrib of pinnae marginate or slightly 
winged, swollen at the base, and indistinctly articulated with the rachis. 
3. M. alata, Smith.—A very beautiful evergreen stove Fern, from 
Jamaica. Fronds rather erect, tripinnate, light green, six or eight feet 
high, and scaly beneath; ultimate pinnules small, oblong-ovate, cuneate 
at the base, deeply and sharply serrate at the apex. Midrib of pinnge 
and pinnules winged throughout. Stipes covered throughout with light 
brown soft scales. Fronds terminal, swollen at the base, and indistinctly 
articulated with a fleshy and globose rhizome. This species has been 
recently introduced to the Eoyal Botanic Garden, Kew. 
E UPODIUM, J. Smith (Marattia, sp. of Authors). —Name derived from 
the Greek eu, well, and pous, a foot; alluding to the very evident 
foot-stalk that sustains each spore-case. 
Spore-cases large, oblong, multilocular, seated on a slender pedicel, 
becoming longitudinally bivalved ; each valve laterally connate, contain¬ 
ing five to eight cells ; each cell opening by a vertical sht on the inside. 
Sporangiferous receptacle medial. Veins simple or forked, free. Fronds 
tripinnate, three to four feet long. Ehizome thick, fleshy, subglobose, 
or by age becoming rather erect.—This genus contains a solitary species, 
native of South America, which has been separated from Marattia in 
consequence of its spore-cases being stipitate; it is of a rather fragile nature, and not very common in cultivation. 
Fig. 93 represents a small portion of JS. Kaulfussii (nat. size), with a spore-case (magn.) 
Fig. 93 . 
