LIBRARY 



SOUTH Al^^EICAN FERX NOTES, WITH LIST OF 

 FERNS AND FERN-ALLIES FOUND IN SOUTH- 

 ERN RHODESIA, AND OF ADDITIONAL SPECIES 

 RECORDED FOR OTHER SOUTH AFRICAN 

 PHYTOGRAPHIC AREAS. 



Bv T. R. Sim, D.Sc-., F.L.S. 



Bead July 15, 1920. 



It is only live years since the second edition of my ' ' Ferns 

 of South Africa" was piiolished, but dm'ing these years the 

 many specimens which have been sent to me demand considerable 

 alteration in the geogi'aphical records of various species. Many 

 additional locality records have been noted, which show that some 

 of the species fonnerly considered rare have a fairly wide dis- 

 tribution, but I have not included these records in this paper, as 

 they w^ould undvily lengthen it. I show, however, what species 

 are now recorded for the first time in each phytographical area, 

 with localities for these, and indicate the total number of species 

 now recorded for each of these areas. 



As was to be expected, the older coastal areas, i.e., West, 

 East, Kaffraria and Natal, which were carefully worked years ago, 

 provide very little additional, but the inland and northern areas 

 continue to have increasing lists of species found, and probably 

 will do so for years as localities become more accessible, since 

 the fem flora is richer in species in the tropics, though confined 

 there, as elsewhere, to suitable localities, leaving large dry areas 

 almost destitute of ferns or fern allies. 



Only one additional species is recorded for the whole of South 

 Africa, i.e., a small Selaginella, found in Basutoland by Madame 

 Disterlin, closely resembling *S'. depressa, A. Br., in habit, size 

 and appearance; this has been named at Kew *S'. oxysiacJiys 

 C. H. Wright, but I am not aware that it has yet been published. 



The total number of Pteridophyta for South Africa up to the 

 Zambesi is consequently 221 species. 



In the various phytographic areas the following additional 

 records and notes have been made: — 



West : 



NotJioJaenti i)iar(iuaIiH, Kze. Kimberley (Bro. Moran). 



Cyathea dregci, Kze. Knysna (T. H. Ee.x, 836). 



PelUva pteroidcs (Linn.), Pr. extends fm-ther inland than was 

 previously knoM'n, as it has now been collected at Klip- 

 bank, Beaiifoi-t West Dist., by N. S. Pillans. 



Pelkea lancifoJia, Baker, formerly known only from Namaqua- 

 land, has now been found between Osplaat and Tunnel 

 Siding, Worcester Division. (Rogers, 16751.) 



Ninety-six species are I'ecorded. 



