Pteris

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Pteris cretica.jpg


Plant Characteristics
Habit   fern

Height: 12 in"in" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 12. to 24 in"in" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 24.
Lifespan: perennial
Cultivation
Exposure: shade
Water: moist
Features: evergreen
Scientific Names

Pteris >

cretica >



Read about Pteris in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture 

Pteris (Greek name for a fern, from a word meaning wing; alluding to the prevalence of pinnate forms). Polypodiaceae. A large genus (60 species) of widely distributed ferns with sporangia borne on a marginal line-like receptacle that connects the free ends of the veins, and with the more or less altered margin of the leaf rolled over to form a continuous indusium. Many of the forms are among the commonest species of ferns in the trade and are very generally used for table decoration, especially as small plants for fern-dishes. For culture, see Fern.

The common brake, P. oquuina, Linn., is by some authors now referred to a separate genus; see Pteridium, above.

Pteris probably contains as many cultivated forms as Nephrolepis, but in America at least does not rank with this fern in importance in the trade. As pot-plants for the house, the species cretica and serrulata and their varieties will probably succeed as well as most of the nephrolepis forms, and better than some. They are, however, extremely uncommon, except as already noted, as small plants for fern-dishes. Apparently only one dealer in America makes a specialty of growing pteris. His list is given at'the end of this article.

Index. albo-lineata, 2. internata, 8. scaberula, 10. angustata, 3. leptophylla, 13. semipinnata, 6. argyraea, 7. longifolia, 1. serrulata, 3. Bausei, 6. magnifica, 2. Smithiana, 9. biaurita, 11. major, 2. Smithii, 9. cretica, 2. Mariesii, 1. tremula, 9. cristata, 3, 11. maxima, 11. tricolor, 7. densa, 3. Mayii, 2. variegata, 9. ensiformis, 4. nemoralis, 11. Victoriae, 4. Gilbertii, 3. nobalis, 2. voluta, 3. heterophylla, 8. Ourvrardii, 3. Wallichiana, 12. inaequalis, 5. quadriaurita, 7.

Besides those already given, there are a number of forms the exact relationship of which has not been ascertained, and a few forms often listed under Pteris which belong properly under other generic names. These undetermined and transferable names mentioned in North America are:

P.adiantoides, Hort.; P. chinensis, possibly a variety of P. serrulata; P. geraniaefolia, see Doryopteris; P. hastata, see Pellaea viridis; P. palmata, see Doryopteris; P. metallica, Hort. ; P. Summersi, Hort. ; P. plumosa, Hort. ; P. regina, Hort.

The following list contains forms of Pteris actually in the American trade. It represents the list of forms which are being or have been grown by H. A. Dreer, and is arranged in the order of the commercial importance of the varieties named. The writer is indebted to J. C. Clark, of Dreer's, for the information. It will be noted that there are several forms which have not already been described. The numerals are given for purposes of identification and they refer to the numbers of the species described in this article.

Wilsonii, 2. Discarded parieties (by Dreer) cretica albo-lineata Alexander, 2. biaurita. cretica Ouvrardi, 2. nemoralis variegata, 11. Wimsettii Distinction, 2. tricolor. Wimsettii Dutrei, 2. cretica Drinkwaterii, 2. Wimsettii Gautherii, 2. cretica Harrisonii, 2. Wimsettii grandis, 2. longifolia. Wimsettii tripartita, 2. longifolia Mariesii. Wimsettii rivertoniana, 2. metallica, Hort. Wimsettii multiceps, 2. Summersii, Hort. Childsii, 2. tremula Smithiana. flabellata, 6. Wimsettii, 2. Grevilleana variegata, Hort. leptophylla argentea, 13.

P. Wilsonii, Hort. (Fig. 3252), represents about half the total sales. P. Childsii (G. 37:293) is an important form, but it produces no spores, and therefore can be reproduced only by division. P. Wimsettii rivertoniana is a new form intro. in 1915 which shows considerable promise. Numbers of other forms of Pteris may be expected to appear in the trade.

L. M. Underwood. R. C. Benedict. CH


The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.


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