416 MR. J. G. BAKER ON A COLLECTION OF FERNS 



frond with a very short stipe, lanceolate, bipinnate, 6-12 inches long, 

 2-2^ inches broad at the middle, narrowed to both ends. Pinnae lan- 

 ceolate, sessile, patulous, the central ones l-l£ inch long, J inch 

 broad, the tip entire, the lowest part cut down to the costa into close 

 ligulate one-nerved pinnules i line broad. Texture moderately firm. 

 Both surfaces green, naked. Veins usually simple, sometimes forked 

 in the segments. Fertile fronds simply pinnate, with distant narrow 

 ligulate pinnae, varying from i-2 inches long, with a 1-4 inch stipe, 

 furnished with distantly placed very minute auricles. 



The only species previously known with a bipinnate sterile and 

 simply pinnate fertile frond is L. diver sifolia of .New Caledonia. 



Asplenium nidus, Linn. 



A. Sandersoni, Hook. 



A. Trichomanes, Linn, (viviparous). 



50*. A. Poolii, Baker y n. sp. Stipe naked, green, 4-6 inches long. 

 Lamina rhomboid, 8-16 inches long, 3-6 inches broad, simply pinnate. 

 Pinnse 3-11, the end one the largest, often viviparous at the tip, 

 linear, 3-6 inches long, f-f inch broad, crenated, acuminate, erecto- 

 patent, subequally cuneate at the base, all except the uppermost shortly 

 petioled. Texture membranous. Both surfaces and rachis dark green 

 and glabrous. Veins lax, distant, erecto-patent, forked. Sori linear 

 or, in forms with narrow pinnae, oblong, |-£ inch long, medial, not 

 touching either edge or midrib. Involucre pale, glabrous, | line broad. 



Near the East-Indian A. Wightianum, but pinnae only obscurely 

 crenate. 



A. anisophyllum, Kunze. 



A. LUNULATUM, StD. 



A. hirtum, Kaulf. 



A. dimidiatum, Sw. A variety with petioles \-% inch long to the pinna?. 



* 



A. SERRA, L.fy F. 



A. RESECTUM, Sm. 



A. protensum, Schrad. 



A. AFFINE, Sw. 



Running into a series of curious dareoid forms, as A. lineatur\ 

 does in Bourbon. 



A. AURITUM, Sw. 



A. furcatum, Thunb. 



A. BRACHYPTERON, Kunze. 



A. Mannii, Hook. 



A third station for this very curious and distinct little plant, ' 

 known before on the Cameroons and in Zambesi-land. 



