776 



FERNS OF XORTH QUEENSLAND, 



vestitum, paleis apicalibns pallido-brunneis vel pallescentibns. 

 Stipes ad 4-6 dm. longus, flexuosiis, basi paleis pallido-brunneis 

 vestitus, supra nudus, paree murieatus, canalieulatus. Frons late 

 laneeolata, basi 6-8 dm. lata, laxe pinnata, pinnis inferioribns 

 oppositis, superioribus alternantibus, subsquarrosis, ang'uste lan- 

 ceolatis, 1-4 dm. longis et 1 dm. latis; pinnnlis laneeolatis, ntrinque 

 aequalibus, inferioribns basi 2-3 cm. latis, ad alatam rhachem pin- 

 natifidis, superioribus subintegris, pinnatinervatis, siecis facile 

 frangentibns, nervis indistinctis; rhaehi et costis nndis, glabris, 

 supra canaliculatis, pinnularum costis subtns distinete elevatis 

 supra depressis. Sori mediates ad 8 per pinnnlam, solitarii in 

 lobis, indusio rotundo, profunde inciso, cito eontrahenti, fugaci, 

 paraphysibus albis articulatis cum sporangiis interraixtis. Tex- 

 Uira subeoriacea. Color pallido-viridis, hand nitens. 



This handsome fern was collected in a "Falling" on INIajor's 

 homestead, near Ravenshoe (Watts, Aug., 1913). It was epiphy- 

 tic on, I believe, the Bird's-Nest Fern. I mistook it for P. adian- 

 ti forme {capense), from which, however, it differs through the 

 much thicker rhizome, the split indusium, which shrivels even on 

 the young sorus, the more distant and almost squarrose pinnae, the 

 laxer build, and the less coriaceous texture; also, by the fact that 

 the midrib of the pinnules is prominently raised on the lower side 

 and depressed (canaliculate) on the upper side, whereas, in P. 

 adiantiforme, the midrib is distinctly raised on the upper side. 

 The ease with which the pinnae are broken up in drying is very 

 characteristic ; it is really difficult to preserve perfect specimens. 



POLYSTICHUM Sp. 



Some imperfect specimens of a beautiful species, probably new, 

 are in the Sydney Herbarium (collected by Mr. R. F. Waller in the 

 Herberton district). The late Mr. Betche regarded them as be- 

 longing to P. adiantiforme, and made the following" notes: — 



1. "Less coriaceous than anj^ other specimens we have, and with 

 hardly any scales on the stem. It may be undescribed, but the 

 rhizome is needed as well as the base of the leaf -stalk. Not re- 

 corded from Queensland. 28.4.09." 



