BY J. H. MAIDEN. 733 



" This fern, which I apprehend is the same that EndUcher has taken up 

 as Steyania lanceolata, K.Br., is very distinct from the Van Dieman's Land 

 plant, resembUng considerably more Lomaria acuminata, Desv., a native of 

 the Mauritius, but that fern has not the semi-orbicular laciniae of the Norfolk 

 Island plant " (Reward's " Biographical Sketch of Allan Cunningham "). 



It seems strange that this name is ignored by all modern 

 pteridologists. 



26. Blechnum acuminatum, J. G. Baker. {Lomaria acuyninata, 

 Baker), Hook, and Baker, Syn. Filic. 481. — Intermediate between 

 B. attenuata and B. lanceolata. 



'27. DOODIA ASPERA, R.Br. 



28. DooDiA MEDIA, R.Br., var. Kunthiana (D. Knnthiana, 

 Gaud., Endl., Prod. Norf. 33). 



29. DooDiA CAUDATA, R.Br. [Woodivardia caudata, Cav. : D. 

 caudata, in Endl., Prod. Norf. 32). — In Hooker and Baker's Syn. 

 Filic. the following species and varieties of Doodia are given : — 



D. aspei'a, R.Br., J), media, R.Br., D. media, var. Kunthiana, 

 D. caudata, R.Br. 



Bentham considers D. asiw.ra and caudata as good species, but 

 reduces D. media to a var. of D. caudata. 



Christ considers media and caudata as good species, but Doodia 

 aspera, the most common of all, he does not mention. Engler 

 and Prantl agree with Hooker and Baker, so I propose to follow 

 the Synops. Filic. 



30. AsPLENiUM NIDUS, Linn., Endl., Prod. Norf. 26. 



31. AsPLENiUM RoBiNSONii, F.V.M., Journ. Bot. xxii. 289. In 

 Journ. Bot. xxiii. 353, he says : — 



"While offering these remarks on a long misunderstood plant of Norfolk 

 Island, it may not be out of place to note that the great fern investigator, 

 Mr. J. G. Baker, refers to Asjilenium Rohinsonii as the doubtful recorded 

 variety of A. sqnamulatum of Hooker's Spec. Filicum, iii. 83, the origin of 

 which had remained for very many years obscure; this particular fern, now 

 shown to be a native of Norfolk Island, is evidently not identical with 

 Blume*s A. squamiilatitvi of Java, Borneo and the Phihppine Islands, but 

 probably endemic to the far-isolated oceanic spot as a remnant of a bygone 

 vegetation, where indeed it is now nearly extinct, as trading horticulturists 

 47 



