THE FUGACES OF JAPAN. 87 



of the petiole of the basal leaf, which sooner or later drops off 

 as the branches develop further. 



The lateral branches on the principal members play the 

 important part of a frond. When just starting, their stems are 

 compressed and ancipitous sending out strongly retrofractive leaves 

 alternately from the surfaces of the stems. As the iuterfolial dis- 

 tances measure but a few centimeters, such stems bend in a zigzag 

 manner with a leaf at each angulate point. The leaves on the 

 basal regions of these sterile branchlets are spathulate or lanceo- 

 late, frosted in some individuals with cryptostomata which may 

 however be wanting in others: they are thick and coreaceous in 

 texture, dark brown in colour, mostly irregularly serrated, and 

 with an immersed midrib. The upper leaves, however, are narrow, 

 linear-lanceolate, brownish in colour, immersedly costated, with 

 or without cryptostomata, and sharply and subregularly alternately 

 pinnately dentated. The laciniœ are obliquely triangular, directed 

 upwards, and ending in a sharp point. Every one of these leaves 

 on the lateral branches may, after further development, become 

 a fulcrant leaf supporting a lateral branch upon the petiole. 



The leaves on the lesser indefinite branches are very narrow, 

 sharply serrated as in the up23er fulcrant leaves. They become 

 narrower by degrees, as we trace them upwards, till the lamina 

 is finally reduced to a wing-like appendage along the rib, or 

 often becomes quite filiform. The lacinia? of the serrature be- 

 come likewise narrower and claw-like, obliquely reflexed above, 

 and regularly alternately pinnately disposed. Very often the 

 indefinite branches just above the basal leaves are stunted with 

 approximate retrofractive leaves, which are usually setaceous with 

 a few prickle-like dentations. 



The stems of the minor branches, as above remarked, are 



