3G0 



On PoLYPODiuM AXOMALUM, a new Species of Fern, hearing its Son 



r 



on t/ie upper side of the Trond ; ly Siii W. J! Hockei?, K.H., 



F.E.A. and L.S. 



(Tab. XL) 



Polypodium anomalum ; fronde ampla ovato-lanceokta subcoriacea 

 polystichoidea, bi- rarius iuferne subtripinnata, piunis primariis lan- 

 ceolate -acuminatis, pinnulis brevi-petiolulatis subfalcatis oblique 

 ovatis ovato-lanceolatisque acutis lobato-pinnatifidis apice grosse 

 serratis lobis acutis (rarius obtusis nunc mucronatis) basi superiore 

 auriculata, soris biserialibus in venulas terminalibus in parte supc- 



L 



riore froudis sitis !, stipite racbibusque copiose paleaceo-squamosis. 

 Polypodium anomalura, Hooh. et Am, MSS, 



Hab. Ceylon, Mrs. General Walker, G. H. K. Thivaites, Esq. 



D^scR. An entii-e frond of this plant measures 1\ foot long (exclu- 

 sive of the stipes, which is 15 inches); in form its outline or circum- 

 scription is broad, ovato-lanceolate, acuminate, of a firm, subcoriaceous, 

 but not very thick substance, bi- or rarely below tripinnate, primary 

 pinnce spreading, lanceolate, acuminate, 7-8 inches long, secondary /?mw^ 

 ox pinnules ^oxi\^ petiolulate, obliquely ovate or ovato-lanceolate, subfal- 

 cate, cuneate at the base, auricled at the superior base, crenato-lobate, 

 subsen'ate at the very apex, sometimes on the lower pinnse they are 

 deeply pinnatifid, and even again pinnate, the lobes usually obtuse, the 

 serratures and the auricle mucronate or obtuse. Venation free, some- 

 what sunk on the upper, a little prominent on the inferior side ; each 

 lobe has a forked vein ; the veinlets not reaching the margin, the supe- 

 rior and soriferous one pointing to the sinus of the lobes and termi- 

 nating a little more distant from the margin. Sort in two rows upon 

 the pinnules, always terminal, and on the upper or anterior face (very 

 rarely indeed on the under) subrotund and convex (thence hemispherical), 

 never, even in the youngest state, exhibiting any trace of indusium. 

 Stipes, rachiseSy costa, and even the under side of, the young fronds 

 clothed with more or less deciduous, chaffy scales, of a rich tawny 

 brown colour ; those on the under surface of pinnules are exceedingly 

 minute, distantly scattered and appressed ; those on the rachises, espe- 

 cially on the main rachises, are copious, larger, lanceolato-subulate, and 

 spreading ; they are most copious and larger on the stipes, and veiy 

 large and broad, ovate, acuminate towards the lower part of the stipes, 

 but at its very base, when the stipes had been severed from the caudex, 



