72 BURMA, ITS PEOPLE AND PUODUCTIOXS. 



P. (PnEGopTF.Ris) OBSCFEUir, Uoohcr. 



I select this species chiefly with a view to point out an en'or in Species Filienm, 

 Yol. IV. p. 237, 162. The fern there named P. obsciirum, and described, is un- 

 douhtcdly only JVephrodium {Lastrea) mchinopus of the same work (Vol. IV. p. 110) 

 without indusia. I can speak positively in this instance, as the specimens (tlins 

 ditt'ercntly named) were part of one and the same lot, all gathered in one place. By 

 reference to the Synopsis it will be seen that Baker, in revising the specimens, 

 thought so, for though (p. 308 of 1st ed.) he retains the species, he appends an 

 observation, "very like a non-involucrate form of N. sageni aides, " the latter being 

 Baker's name for N. melanopus. And under the latter (p. 271) he remarks " /re- 

 rolucres fugacious," which they are. I give the description of the plant. Caudex 

 6-8 inches high, commonly elevated on its wiry roots. Fronds titftcd. Stipes 6-12 

 inches high, slender, brittle, glossy-black (as is also the rachis till near the end), 

 slightly scaly below. Frond 12-18 inches long by 6-8 inches wide, ovate-lanceolate, 

 pinna; 8-10 pairs, opposite, or nearly so, about 4 inches long by 1 inch broad, 

 suddenly acuminate ; the lowest pair different from the rest, being pinnate only on 

 the upper half and bipinnate on the lower, the middle pinnoe longer than the rest. 

 In liilly or mountainous parts, but at no great elevation. 



P. (GONIOPTERIS) rEOPHi-LLUir, Wall. 



This is really only a non-indusiate JVephrodium, the venation being exactly that 

 of a Eu-neplirodiiim, and the habit of growth like that of the iV. abruptiim group ; 

 in fact, I detected indusia on this fern in a young state, and pointed out the fact 

 to Sir W. Hooker, inclosing specimens to him which showed them plainly. This 

 is acknowledged on p. 10 of Vol. V. of his Species Filicum : "Mr. Parish has lately 

 convinced me that a minute indusium is seen upon the undeveloped sonis, which 

 may requii-e this (and possibly the same may be found in an equally early stage 

 upon other species of Guniopteris) to be transferred to Eu-polg podium." 



Caudex creeping ; stipes 2 or moi-e feet long, stout ; frond 2-4 feet long, 1 foot 

 and more broad; pinnaj several on each side of the rachis, 1 foot long and 2 inches 

 broad, with a large terminal pinna, points acuminate ; veins prominent, sori in two 

 close rows, or sometimes only one. 



P. D.UtE.EF0RlIE, SooTc. 



A fern of a very different habit from the last. Eliizorac, creeping like a Bavallia, 

 densely clothed witli scales, size variable ; as seen by me, small ; stipes 2-3 inches, 

 frond 6-8 inches long, 4-5 inches broad, subdeltoid, tripinnate, ultimate segments 

 entire or forked, linear, rounded at the point ; veins single in each division ; sori 

 generally one on each segment, consisting of few thecse. On trees, at 4000 feet and 

 upwards. Dauna-toung. 



P. SUBDIGITATUir, Bl. 



P. Darallioides, Mett. 

 A beautiful and much divided species, 2 or 3 feet high, with tufted fronds, 

 terrestrial. On Nat-toung at 7000 feet, and Moolee-it, by the spring, 6000 feet. 



P. (NrpnoBOLUs) aceostichoibes, Forsfer. 



Rhizome creeping, as thick as a small crow-quill, clothed with round scales, 

 which are closely appressed and dark in the centre. The fronds are naiTow, long, 

 strap-shaped, aud pointed, varying considerably in length from 1 foot to 18 inches, 

 and J to 1 inch broad, narrowing into a stipes 1-3 inches in length. Under-surface 

 covered with soft tomentum, which consists of stellate hairs, a characteristic feature 

 of this group. Sori crowded in oblique rows on the upper half of the fi'ond. 

 Mergui, on trees. 



P. (NrrnoBOLUs) PEXiNGiANUji, JIool;er. 



Rhizome creeping, stipes short; frond 12-18 inches long, by 2-3 inches broad, 

 with a suddenly acuminated termination, tapering very gradually below ; texture soft, 

 thick, covered underneath with soft grey tomentum. Sori in a patch near the end 

 but not reaching it, leaving a V-shaped opening below. Apparently rare ; on trees. 



