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Nephrolepis (From nephros a kidney)
(from nephros, a kidney, and lepis, a scale; referring to the covering of the sori). Including Arthropteris (in part). ORD. Filices. A small genus (ten species) of very handsome stove Ferns, widely dispersed over the tropical parts of the globe. Fronds simply pinnate, with the pinnae articulated at the base, and often very deciduous in the dried plant, with white cretaceous dots on the upper surface. Sori round, arising from the apex of the upper branch of a rim, generally near the edge; involucre reniform or roundish. Veins in all free. Several species are well adapted for growing in suspended baskets; they do very well in a compost of peat, loam, and sand, with an abundant supply of water. For general culture, see Ferns. N. acuta (acute). sti. tufted, 4in. to 8in. long, firm, naked, or slightly scaly. fronds 2ft. to 4ft. long, 8in. to 12in. broad; pinnae 4in. to 8in. long, 1/2in. to 1in. broad, acute, the edge entire or slightly crenate, the upper side auricled, the lower rounded at the base. sori sub-marginal. Involucre sub-orbicular, subpeltate. SYNS. N. biserrata, N. ensifolia, N. punctulata, and N. splendens.
N. biserrata (twice-serrated). A synonym of N. acuta. N. cordifolia (cordate-fronded).* cau. sub-erect or oblique, the wiry fibres often bearing tubers. sti. tufted, wiry, 1in. to 4in. long, scaly. fronds 1ft. to 2ft. long, 1 1/2in. to 2in. broad; pinnae close, often imbricated, about 1in. long, 1/2in. to 5/8in. broad, usually blunt, the edge entire or slightly crenate, the under side rounded or crenate, the upper distinctly auricled at the base. sori in a row about midway between the midrib and edge; involucre firm, distinctly reniform, oblique, or opening towards the outer edge. Tropical America, 1841. A handsome species. SYN. N. tuberosa. N. c. pectinata (comb-like). A variety of the preceding, producing no tubers. Stem and rachis naked; pinnae less distinctly auricled at the base on the upper, obliquely truncate on the lower, side. SYN. N. pectinata. N. davallioides (Davallia-like).* cau. short, stoloniferous. sti. tufted, 1ft. or more long, scaly towards the base. fronds drooping, 2ft. to 3ft. long, 1ft. or more broad; lower pinnae barren, 4in. to 8in. long, 1/2in. to 1in. broad, the apex acuminate, the edge inciso-crenate to a depth of one line or less; fertile pinnae narrower, the lobes deeper, and bearing each a single sorus at the point. Involucre reniform. Malaya, 1852. A beautiful species, probably the handsomest of the genus, and easily distinguished by its pinnatifid fertile pinnae, with the sori at the tip of the lobes. (G. C. 1855, 388.) N. d. furcans (forked). A beautiful and distinct crested variety, of robust growth, sending forth numerous arching fronds from 3ft. to 4ft. long, and, both in habit and general appearance, a great improvement on the type.for which we are indebted to Messrs. W. and J. Birkenhead. N. Duffii (Duff's).* sti. 6in. to 8in. long. fronds about 2ft. long, tufted, pinnate, narrow-linear, the apex multifidly forked; tip of frond two or three times forked, the tips of the branches again shortly divided; pinnae small, rounded or flabellate, twin, over-lapping each other, crenate at the edge. sori absent. Duke of York Island, 1878. A very elegant species, having fascicles of numerous gracefully-arching fronds. (G. C. n. s., ix. 623.) N. ensifolia (sword-fronded). A synonym of N. acuta. N. exaltata (lofty). sti. tufted, 4in. to 6in. long, firm, naked, or slightly scaly. fronds 1ft. to 2ft. or more long, 3in. 6in. to broad; pinnae close, 1 1/2in. to 3in. long, 1/4in. to 1/2in. broad, usually acute, the edge entire or slightly crenate; the upper side auricled, the lower rounded at the base. sori sub-marginal; involucre firm, distinctly reniform. Tropics, 1793. To this well-known and desirable species Mr. J. G. Baker refers N. volubilis. N. e. hirsutula (small-haired). A variety with the rachis densely, and both surfaces more or less, coated with ferruginous down. SYN. N. hirsutula. N. falciformis (sickle-formed). fronds 1 1/2ft. to 2ft. long, sub-erect, linear; pinnae numerous; lower (sterile) ones elliptical, obtuse, truncate at base; superior (fertile) ones lanceolate-falcate, acute, sub-deflexed, 1 1/2in. long, 1/2in. wide, truncate at base, sub-auriculate on the upper margin. sori uniserial, anti-marginal. Borneo.
N. hirsutula (small-haired). A synonym of N. exaltata hirsutula. N. obliterata (obliterated). A synonym of N. ramosa. N. pectinata (comb-like) A synonym of N. cordifolia pectinata. N. pluma (feather).* fronds 4ft. to 5ft. long, 4in. broad, linear, pendulous, pinnate; pinnae about 2in. long, articulated with the rachis, usually falcately nerved, broadest at the cordate base, the margin thickened, nearly entire towards the base, and notched upwards in a series of oblique crenatures. sori transversely set at the end of the anterior venule of each fascicle, one to each crenature. Madagascar, 1878. A very handsome greenhouse species, with wiry stolons. (G. C. n. s., ix. 589.) N. punctulata (small-dotted). A synonym of N. acuta. N. ramosa (branched). sti. very short, scattered, on a slender, wiry, wide-creeping rhizome. fronds 6in. to 12in. long, 1in. to 3in. broad; pinnae 1/2in. to 1 1/2in. long, 1/4in. to 1/2in. broad, slightly crenate, the upper edge auricled and truncate, parallel with the stem, the lower oblique; involucre roundish, very fugacious. Tropics of Old World. SYNS. N. obliterata and N. trichomanoides.
N. splendons (glittering). A synonym of N. acuta.
N. trichomanoides (Trichomanes-like). A synonym of N. ramosa. N. tuberosa (tuberous). A synonym of N. cordifolia.
N. volubilis (twining). A straggling, flexuous form of N. exaltata.