The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1907-05-15

near the sea coast, and in the Palm
hammo cks of Caximbas and Chuckedu-
chez where the Royal Palm (Oreodoxa
regra) abounds, we may find the shaft
like trunks Ornamented with the sword
shaped fronds of Polypodium Phyllitidis
(more correctly Campyloneuron Phyl-
1itidis), and the graceful plumes of the
Sword Fern (Nephrolepls exaltata) in
endrum nocturnum, E. cochleatum, E.
tampense, e. rigidium, E. umbellatum,
Or among huge .Pseudo-bulbs of cyrto-
podiurn pumstatum and the curious,
dainty little Dendrophylax Lindeni
And along the Manatee, the KiSslm-
NEE, the Ca1oosahatchee and the Indian
River with wealth OF other Ferns,
we behold the curious palmate-forked
fronds Of the rare Cheiroglossa palma
ia, which grows in the rotten fibre OF
decaying leaf-stem of the Cabbage
Palmetto, sending its white, tender
roots deep down into the damp sponge
like mass above it and below, and up
the very crown Of the leaves are the
feathery plumes of nephrolepis exaltata
and the great light-green fronds of the
Golden Polypody The marvellous
Polypodlum Phyllitidis is rather
characteristic species, and large clumps
Of it are sight ever impressed on
the mind of the lover OF nature. The
arching and bent leaves are undivided,
very long, often over two feet, and
narrowed to sharp point, thin, hard to
the touch, and semipellucid. The large
yellow sporangia is arranged in two
rows between the veins. It occurs as
far north as Lake Jessup and is not
at all numerous around Lake Apopka,
where now and then immense tufts
are found on old decaying logs. 1t is
SO glossy and so beautiful that it de-
serves to be cultivated largely, forming
very fine companion plant to the
somewhat similar Old World Polypo-
dunn irloides.: 1t grows very luxuri-
antly in pots.
On Key Largo we find another
charming epiphytal Fern, climbing
over low bushes and trees-Phyma-
todes exiguum (Polypodium Swartzii),
the rootstock OF which is very slender,
long and climbing. The leaves have
Wavy margins. They are simple, en-
tire, four to five inches long and
gradually narrowed to both ends.
In point of abundance the grass Fern
(Viltaria 1ineata) ranks right after the
large Golden Polypody. It is exceed
ingly common in many localities, par
ticularly on the st. Johns, where it
covers the trunks of the Palmettos in
large conspicuous masses in most
elegant and graceful manner It's
bright, glossy green, grass-like fronds
are less than a third of an inch wide,
and from one to two feet long, very
thick and leathery. Many of the Pal
metto trunks are often entirely cover
ed with it. In company with some
of the Ferns already mentioned, it adds
a peculiar charm to- the groups OF
Palms, making a visit to them one to
be ever remembered
In Southern Florida, along the Mi
ami River, another striking Fern
abounds Nephrolepis biserrata IN.
acuta). 1t grows in dense tufts on the
Palmettos as we'll as on old rotten
logs. It's near relative, the Sword or
Boston Fern, Nephrolepis exaltata,
grows in the same places. Both are
quite different, the first named species
being more delicate and compact.
The climbing Fern (Lygodium
palmatum is now and then met with
in moist thickets, and open woods,
and the strong growing, climbing spe-