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Acrostichum (From akros outermost)

(from akros, outermost, and stichos, row; the disposition of the sori has been compared to the beginning of lines of verse). ORD. Filices. Including Aconiopteris, Chrysodium, Egenolfia, Elaphoglossum, Gymnopteris, Olfersia, Photinopteris, Paecilipteris, Polybotrya, Rhipidopteris, Soromanes, Stenochlaena, Stenosemia. A large and almost entirely tropical genus; it includes groups with a wide range in venation and cutting. Sori spread over the whole surface of the frond or upper pinnae, or occasionally over both surfaces. The species having long fronds are admirably suited for growing in suspended baskets, and the dwarfer sorts do well in Wardian cases. A compost of peat, chopped sphagnum, and sand, is most suitable. For general culture, see Ferns.

A. acuminatum (taper-pointed).* rhiz. thick, climbing. sti. 4in. to 6in. long, firm, erect, scaly throughout. barren fronds 1ft. to 2ft. long, 1ft. or more broad, deltoid, bipinnate; upper pinnae oblong-lanceolate, slightly lobed, truncate on the lower side at the base, 2in. to 3in. long, 3/4in. to 1in. broad; lower pinnae, 6in. to 8in. long, 4in. to 5in. broad, with several small pinnules on each side; light green, with a firm texture. fertile fronds 1ft. long, deltoid, tripinnate. Brazil. Stove species. SYN. Polybotrya acuminatum. A. alienum (foreign). rhiz. woody. sti. 6in. to 18in. long, scaly downwards. barren fronds 1ft. to 2ft. long, often 1ft. broad, the upper part deeply pinnatifid, with lanceolate lobes, the lower part pinnate, with entire or deeply pinnatifid lower pinnae. fertile fronds much smaller, with distant narrow linear or pinnatifid leafy pinnae. Tropical America. Stove species. SYN. Gymnopteris aliena.

A. apiifolium (Parsley-leaved).* cau. stout, woody, erect. sti. of barren fronds 2in. to 3in. long, erect, densely clothed with tomentum. barren fronds 4in. to 6in. each way, deltoid, tripinnate; pinnae close, only the lowest pair with pinnatifid pinnules, ultimate divisions oblong-rhomboidal, 1/4in. to 1/3in. long, the base cuneate, the outer edge slightly toothed. fertile fronds on a slender naked stem 6in. to 8in. long, the fronds panicled with a few distant, slender, simple, or compound branches. Philippine Islands, 1862. Stove species. SYN. Polybotrya apiifolia.

A. apodum (stemless).* cau. thick, woody, the scales dense, linear, brown, crisped. sti. tufted, very short, or obsolete. barren fronds 1ft. or more long, 1 1/2in. to 2in. broad, the apex acuminate, the lower part narrowed very gradually, the edge and midrib densely fringed with soft, short, brown hairs. fertile fronds much smaller than the barren ones. West Indies to Peru, 1824. Stove species. SYN. Elaphoglossum apodum.

A. appendiculatum (appendaged).* rhiz. firm, woody. barren fronds 6in. to 18in. long, 4in. to 8in. broad, simply pinnate. sti. 3in. to 6in. long, erect, naked, or slightly scaly; pinnae 2in. to 4in. long, 3/8in. to 3/4in. broad, the edge varying from sub-entire to cut halfway down to the midrib of the blunt lobes, the upper side often auricled, the lower one obliquely truncate, dark green. fertile fronds narrower, on a longer spike, the pinnae roundish or oblong, often distinctly stalked. India, &c., 1824. Stove species. SYN. Egenolfia appendiculata.

A. aureum (golden).* cau. erect. sti. erect, 1ft. to 2ft. long, strong. fronds 2ft. to 6ft. long, 1ft. to 2ft. broad, the upper pinnae fertile, rather smaller than the barren ones, which are usually stalked, ligulate oblong, 3in. to 1ft. long, 1/2in. to 3in. broad, acute or blunt, sometimes retuse with a mucro; edge quite entire, base sub-cuneate. Widely distributed in the tropics of both hemispheres, 1815. An evergreen aquatic stove species, requiring abundance of heat and moisture. SYN. Chrysodium aureum. A. auritum (eared).* cau. erect, woody. barren fronds with a stipe 6in. to 9in. long, deltoid, 8in. to 12in. each way, ternate, the central segments deeply pinnatifid, with lanceolate entire lobes; the lateral ones unequal sided, with lanceolate oblong-lobed lower pinnules. fertile fronds with a stem 12in. to 18in. long, deltoid, with distant linear pinnae half line broad; upper simple, lower pinnatifid. Philippine Islands. Stove species. SYN. Stenosemia aurita.

A. axillare (axillary). rhiz. slender, wide scandent. barren fronds 6in. to 18in. long, about 1in. broad, simple, the point bluntish, the edge entire, the lower half tapering very gradually to the base or short stem. fertile fronds 6in. to 12in. long, one to three lines broad, flexuose, on a stem 1in. to 6in. long. Himalayas. Greenhouse species. SYN. Chrysodium axillare. A. barbatum (bearded). Synonymous with A. scolopendrifolium. A. bifurcatum (twice-forked). sti. densely tufted, 2in. to 4in. long, slender, stramineous, naked. fronds 3in. to 4in. long, about 1/2in. broad, pinnate; lower pinnae of fertile fronds two or three cleft, with linear divisions; those of the barren pinnae broader, and not so deep. St. Helena. Greenhouse species. SYN. Polybotrya bifurcata.

A. Blumeanum (Blume's).* rhiz. woody, wide climbing. sti. of barren fronds 6in. long, scaly. barren fronds 1ft. to 3ft. long, 1ft. or more broad, with numerous sessile pinnae on each side, which are 4in. to 6in. long, 1in. broad; apex acuminate, the edge slightly toothed; base rounded. fertile fronds with distant pinnae 4in. to 8in. long, 1/8in. to 1/4in. broad. Assam. Greenhouse species. SYN. Chrysodium Blumeanum.

A. callaefolium (Calla-leaved). A form of A. latifolium. A. canaliculatum (channeled).* rhiz. woody, wide climbing, spinulose and scaly. sti. 1ft. or more long, scaly throughout. fertile fronds 2ft. to 3ft. long, 12in. to 18in. broad, tripinnate; lower barren pinnae, 6in. to 9in. long, 4in. to 5in. broad; pinnules lanceolate, stalked, with oblong segments, both surfaces naked; fertile pinnules close, the segments 1/4in. long, bearing three to four sessile balls of sori. Venezuela. Stove or greenhouse species. SYN. Polybotrya canaliculata.

A. caudatum (tailed). A synonym of A. petiolosum.

A. cervinum (stag-horned).* rhiz. woody, creeping, scaly. sti. 1ft. or more long, scaly. barren fronds 2ft. to 4ft. long, pinnate; pinnae 4in. to 9in. long, 1in. to 2in. broad, entire or nearly so, unequal at the base; fertile pinnae distant, linear, lanceolate, bipinnate, with short spreading sub-cylindrical pinnules. Brazil, 1840. Stove species. SYN. Olfersia cervina. A. conforme (conformed). rhiz. wide creeping, scaly. sti. 1in. to 12in. long, firm, erect, stramineous, naked or slightly scaly. fronds 2in. to 9in. long, 1/2in. to 2in. broad, acute or bluntish, the base cuneate or spathulate, the edge entire. barren fronds narrower than the fertile one. A. laurifolium, A. obtusilobum, and several others, are identical with the foregoing. Tropical America, also in the Old World. Stove species. SYN. Elaphoglossum conforme. A. crinitum (hairy).* cau. woody, erect. sti. of barren fronds 4in. to 8in. long, densely clothed with long scales. barren fronds 9in. to 18in. long, 4in. to 9in. wide, broadly oblong; apex blunt, base rounded, edge entire and ciliated, texture subcoriaceous, both sides scattered over with scales like those of the stipes. fertile fronds like the others, but much smaller, the stipes longer. West Indies, &c., 1793. Stove species. SYNS. Chrysodium and Hymenodium crinitum.

A. cylindricum (cylindrical). Synonymous with A. osmundaceum. A. Dombeyanum (Dombey's). A form of A. lepidotum.

A. flagelliferum (rod-shaped). rhiz. woody, creeping. sti. of barren fronds 6in. to 12in. long, nearly naked. barren fronds simple or with one to three pairs of pinnae, the terminal one ovate lanceolate, entire or repand, often elongated and rooting at the point, the lateral ones 3in. to 6in. long, 1in. to 2in. broad; fertile pinnae 2in. to 3in. long, about 1/2in. broad. India, &c., 1828. Stove species. SYN. Gymnopteris flagellifera. A. foeniculaceum (Fennel-leaved).* rhiz. slender, creeping. sti. distant, slender, 2in. to 8in. long, scaly. barren fronds 1in. to 2in. broad, usually dichotomously forked, with filiform divisions. fertile fronds 3/8in. broad, two-lobed. Andes of Ecuador. Stove species. (For culture, see A. peltatum). SYN. Rhipidopteris foeniculaceum.

A. Herminieri (Herminier's).* rhiz. stout, creeping. sti. very short, or none. barren fronds 1 1/2ft. to 3ft. long, 1in. to 1 1/2in. broad, simple, acuminate, the lower part narrowed very gradually. fertile fronds short-stalked, 3in. to 4in. long, 1in. to 1 1/2in. broad. Tropical America, 1871. Stove species. SYN. Elaphoglossum Ilerminieri. A. heteromorphum (various-formed). rhiz. slender, wide creeping, scaly. sti. 1in. to 3in. long, slender, slightly scaly. barren fronds 1 1/2in. to 2in. long, 3/4in. to 1in. broad, simple, bluntish, the base rounded, both surfaces scattered over with linear dark castaneous scales. fertile fronds much smaller, and the stipes much longer. Columbia and Ecuador. Stove species. SYN. Elaphoglossum heteromorphum.

A. Langsdorffii (Langsdorff's). Synonymous with A. muscosum. A. latifelium (broad-fronded).* rhiz. thick, woody, creeping, scaly. sti. 6in. to 12in. long, firm, erect, naked, or scaly. barren fronds 9in. to 18in. long, 2in. to 4in. broad, simple, acute, gradually narrowed below, entire; texture leathery. fertile fronds considerably narrower than the barren ones. A. longifolium, A. callaefolium, &c., are only varieties of this species. Mexico, Brazil, &c. Stove species. SYN. Elaphoglossum latifolium. A. lepidotum (scaly).* rhiz. thick, woody, very scaly. sti, 1in. to 3in. long, firm, scaly throughout. barren fronds 3in. to 6in. long, about 1/2in. broad, simple, usually blunt, the base cuneate or rather rounded, both surfaces and midrib very scaly. A. Dombeyanum, of garden origin, is a varietal form of this, of which there are several others. Tropical America. Stove species. SYN. Elaphoglossum lepidotum.

A. longifolium (long-leaved). A form of A. latifolium. A. Meyerianum (Meyer's). Synonymous with A. tenuifolium. A. muscosum (mossy).* rhiz. woody, densely scaly. sti. 4in. to 6in. long, firm, clothed with large pale brown scales. barren fronds 6in. to 12in. long, 1in. to 1 1/2in. broad, simple, narrowed at both ends; upper surface slightly scaly; lower quite hidden by imbricated brownish scales. fertile fronds much smaller than the others, the stipes longer. Madeira. Greenhouse species. SYN. A. Langsdorffii.

A. Neitnerii. Synonymous with A. quercifolium.

A. nicotianaefolium (Tobacco-leaved).* rhiz. woody, wide creeping, scaly. sti. 1 1/2ft. to 2ft., scaly below. barren fronds 1ft. to 3ft. long, 1ft. or more broad, with a large terminal pinna, and one to three lateral pairs, which are 6in. to 9in. long, 1in. to 3in. broad, acuminate, entire, or nearly so, the base slightly rounded, fertile pinnae distant, 3in. to 4in. long 3/4in. broad. Cuba, &c. Stove species. SYN. Gymnopteris nicotianaefolium. A. osmundaceum (Osmunda-like).* rhiz. woody, wide scandent, scaly. sti. 12in. to 18in. long, firm, erect, scaly at the base. barren fronds ample, bi-or tripinnate; the lower pinnae 1ft. to 2ft. long, 4in. to 8in. broad; pinnules stalked, lanceolate, with closely set sub-entire segments, of a light green colour; both surfaces naked. fertile fronds nearly or quite as large as the barren ones; segments linear cylindrical, 1/4in. to 1/2in. long. Tropical