; ì
A n exceedingly interesting large-growing F e rn .
A n ev ergreen greenhouse species.
N a tiv e of Madeira, South of E u ro p e , Teneriffe, Canary
Islan d s, N ep a l, California, P e ru , N o r th AVest America, Sicilia,
and Mexico. L iebmann found it at an elevation of from four
to eig h t thousand fe e t; Galleotti from nine to twelve thousand
fe e t; and D r. Schiede at Ja lapa.
T h e re is a v ariety called var. mexicana, of F e e , which is
found in Mexico.
In tro d u c e d into th e Roya l Gardens in 1779.
T h e fronds, which are p in n a te , h ave oblong-lanceolate pinnæ,
about twelve inches in len g th , th e basal ones standing forward,
petiolate, p rofoundly p innatifid, with somewhat lanceolate segments,
rep an d , th e margin spinulose-serrate, and the apex m u cronate.
N e a r th e apex of each fro n d a p lan t is p roduced,
which will grow to a considerable size wh ilst on th e fro n d ;
in d e ed it is n o t at all uncommon to see plants with h a lf a dozen
fronds a foot long, receiving all th e ir su p p o rt from th e p a ren t
leaf.
L e n g th of fro n d from five to six fe e t; colour b rig h t green.
Stipes densely scaly, th e scales brown and v e ry large.
F ro n d s termina l, rooting at th e apex.
Rhizoma creeping.
Veins re ticu la ted , becoming free n e a r th e margin.
Sori unise ria l and costal; indusium revolute, and of the same
form as the sori.
F o r plan ts of this species my thanks are due to Mr. Clarke,
of th e Roya l Botanic Gardens, Glasgow, and to Messrs. V e itch ,
of Che lsea; and for fronds to th e same gentlemen, and to Mr.
N o rm an , of H u ll; M. Schott, of th e Im p e ria l G ardens of
S ch o n h riin n ; and to Messrs. Booth, of H am b u rg .
I t is in th e Catalogues of Messrs. V e itch , of Che lsea; E . G.
H e n d e rso n , of St. J o h n ’s AA^ood; Booth, of H am b u rg ; Rollisson,
of T o o tin g ; A. H e n d e rso n , of Pin e -ap p le P la c e ; Sim, of F o o t’s
C ray ; K en n ed y , of Covent G a rd e n ; Stansfield, of T o dmo rd en ;
Y o u n g , of T a u n to n ; and Cooling, of D erby.
T h e illustration is from a p lan t in my own collection.
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