Onychium
(from onyx, onychos, a claw; referring to the shape of the lobes of the fronds). ORD. Filices. A small genus (four species) of very beautiful, stove or nearly hardy Ferns, natives of Arabia, India, Cuba, Japan, &c. Sori placed upon a continuous linear receptacle, which connects the apices of several veins; involucre parallel with the margin of the segments, linear, opposite, pressed down over the sori, the edge nearly or quite reaching the midrib. Only two species have been introduced; both thrive in a compost of peat, loam, and sand. For general culture, see Ferns. O. auratum (golden).* sti. 6in. to 12in. long, stout, erect, naked. fronds 1ft. or more long, 6in. broad, ovate, quadripinnatifid; lower pinnae 4in. to 6in. long, sub-deltoid, erecto-patent; pinnules and segments numerous, usually deltoid; ultimate divisions of the sterile frond often obovate-cuneate, trifid at the apex, not more than one line long, coriaceous in texture; those of the fertile frond pod-like. Rachis and both surfaces naked; the membranous involucres and copious sori a rich golden-yellow. Himalayas. Stove.
O. capense (Cape). A garden synonym of O. japonicum.
O. japonicum (Japanese).* sti. 6in. to 12in. long, stout, erect, naked. fronds 1ft. or more long, 6in. broad, ovate, quadripinnatifid; lower pinnae 4in. to 6in. long, lanceolate-deltoid; pinnules and segments numerous, usually deltoid, the copious, linear-mucronate, ultimate divisions one and a-half to two lines long, nearly uniform in the barren and fertile fronds. sori brown. Japan, China, &c. Greenhouse or nearly hardy. SYNS. O. capense, O. lucidum.
O. lucidum (shining). A synonym of O. japonicum.