268 ON ASPLEMUM NIGRIPES, 



On Asplenium (§ Schaffneria) nigripes, a Mexican, and on Davallia 

 nodosa, an Indian Fern; by Sir W. J. Hooker, K.H., F.R.A. 



and L.S. (Tab. IX. and X.) 



Schaffneria) 



Parvula, radice fibrosa, stipite crasso nigro-ebeneo nitido, fronde ob- 

 ovata obtusissima integerrima glabra ecostata sub<?arnosa, venis ana- 

 stomosantibus areolis elongatis subhexagonis, soris linearibus sparsis 



nunc 2 oppositis parallelis. (Tab. IX.) 



/. 1, ined. {fid 



Moore 



Miiller 



693; Schaffuer. 



Descr. From a laxly tufted mass of villous fibres three to five sm 



all 



frond* arise, from 2 to 3, scarcely 4 inches high, including the stipes. 

 Stipes about equal to the frond in length, or shorter, sometimes almost 

 wanting, erect, strict, intensely black, ebeneous and glossy, compressed 

 on one side, suddenly uniting with the base of the frond, by no means 

 continuous with it, nor in any way forming a midrib to it. Frond 

 broadly obovate, subflabellate, very obtuse, cuneate at the base, ap- 

 parently deciduous at the summit of the stipes, quite entire, subcarnoso- 

 coriaceous, thickest towards the base, and there very opaque, thinner 

 and subpellucid towards the upper half, glabrous, ecostate, the margin 

 slightly reflected ; the veins subflabellate, anastomosing, but more de- 

 cidedly in the upper portion ; areoles elongated, subhexagonal. Sort 

 mostly confined to the upper half, scattered, but sometimes approxi- 

 mate in pairs, each opening towards the centre. of an areole and towards 

 each other. Involucre narrow, linear. 



This very remarkable Tern I had lately the pleasure to receive from 

 Dr. Meisner, among an interesting collection made in Mexico by Dr. 

 Fred. Miiller. It has already however attracted the attention of M. 

 Fee, for it is evidently the Schaffneria of that author's manuscripts and 

 his published figure, according to- Mr. Moore above quoted. The plant 

 has a peculiar habit, in the thickened, black, ebeneous stipes, which 

 seems jointed at its point of attachment to the frond (two of my speci- 

 mens show that the frond is there deciduous) : and the form of the 

 frond is remarkable, as well as its thick and fleshy character, and cer- 

 tainly in the anastomosing venation, more distinctly reticulated in the 



