88 



January 21, 1801. 



President in the Chair. 



Dr. W. Ncwcomb, of Oakland, was elected a Corresponding 

 Member. 



Dr. Kellogg presented the following description of a species of 

 Polypodium. found in the vicinity of San Francisco, sj^ringing from 

 the crevices of rocks. 



P. caDioswn, (Kellogg) Fig. 24. — Fronds deltoid-ovate (the 

 terminal odd pinna elongated) pinnatcly divided to the rachis, seg- 

 ments alternate or sub-opposite, oblong, obtuse, crenate-serrate, 

 teeth ? broad, truncate ; lamina thick, fleshy, brittle, opaque, (the 

 pellucid veins only obscurely discerned ; the three lower and outer 

 veinlets clavate at the extremity, lying near the margin — the upper 

 longer basilar veins bearing the torus) veins dichotomous, the ad- 

 nate base of junction of the pinnte with the rachis descending above 

 and decurrent below the lower (longer) pair, slightly decurrent 

 along the stipe to its articulation at the elevated base of the rhi- 

 zoma, a dark areola marking the jwint of junction ; rachis and veins 

 large and prominent above and below, stipe and rachis equal ; 

 scales upon the stipe and back of the frond ovate-cordate, acumin- 

 ate, erose-dentate, amber brown, scarious transparent, reticulate, 

 often deciduous. ^ 



Sori very large, oval or oblong in two rows on the back of the 

 segments, somewhat approximating the mid-vein at the terminus of 

 the upper or first lateral veinlet ; cinnamon brown, and when fully 

 developed becoming contiguous, but not confluent. 



Rhizoma creeping, clothed with membranous ovate peltate acu- 

 minate tawny scales, irregularly repand-dentate — when denuded or 

 cut it exhibits a pale greenish white hue — flavor, that of liquorice, 

 but rather nauseous if much is eaten. 



Fronds six inches to a foot in lieight. Of the same group as 

 Polyjjodium vulgare var. occidentale, but in all respects more ro- 

 bust than the common species. 3'he fleshy pinnai as readily break 

 asunder upon being bent as the common House Leek, The venation 

 is the same as in P. pellucidiuii of Oahu and Sandwich Islands ; 

 but that is naked and has intermediate translucent siv'vx. from the 

 marginal crenatures, etc. The Sori in all our specimens are three 

 or four times as large as in either this or the Peruvian P. macrO' 

 carpum^ the lamina of the pinnre is from half an inch to an inch in 

 width ; and the general outline quite uniform, and very unlike 

 those referred to. As these differ as much from the one before us 

 as they do from other acknowledged species, we submit the f^icts to 

 those of more ample means for comparison. The figure should have 

 represented the lacineie extending to the mid-rib. 



