178 A SYNOPSIS OF THE GENUS SELAGINELLA. 



the stem on the upper side at the base ; leaves of the upper plane 

 one-thh-d to one-quarter as long, cordate -ovate, cuspidate. Spikes 

 copious, resupinate, ^-1 in. long, 1 lin. diam., sometimes forked; 

 bracts of the upper plane ovate-lanceolate, acute, very crowded, 

 erecto-patent ; bracts of the lower plane ovate -cuspidate, pale, 

 much imbricated. 



Var. spJucrophi/lIa Baker. — Leaves ef the lower plane smaller, 

 crowded, suborbicular, firmer in texture, concave on the face. 

 Spikes narrower, with less dimorphic bracts. 



Hab. Damp banks on Penang Hill, Fimrill ! Maiwjan 1831 ! 

 Sir W. Nurris ! 



2G8. S. Brackenridgei, n. sp. — S. ciliaris Bracken., non Spring. 

 — Stems decumbent, slender, terete, 3-4 in. long, bisulcate down 

 the face, copiously pinnate, the ascending branches considerably 

 compound. Leaves of the lower plane contiguous on the branches, 

 spaced on the main stem, spreading, oblique oblong, obtitse, 

 f-l lin. long, pale green, membranous in texture but firmer than 

 in S. ■pronifiora, unequal-sided, cordate, shortly ciliated, and much 

 imbricated over the stem on the upjier side at the base ; leaves of 

 the upper plane half as long, ovate, shortly cuspidate. Spikes 

 copious, resupinate, ^ in. long, f lin. diam. ; bracts of the upper 

 plane erecto-patent, oblique ovate-lanceolate ; of the lower plane 

 shorter, ovate, acute, pale, ascending, strongly keeled. 



Hab. Fiji, behind the town of Muthuata, Brackenrid(/e ! Dae- 

 mel 191 ! Intermediate in habit between serpens emd proidjiora. 



2C9. S. boninensis, n. sp. — Stems trailing, very slender, 

 2-3 in. long, copiously pinnate, all the branches short and simple. 

 Leaves of the lower plane slightly spaced on the stem, spreading, 

 oblong or oblong-lanceolate, acute, a line long, pale green, mem- 

 branous, unequal-sided, denticulate, not distinctly ciliated on the 

 upper edge, cordate on the upper side at the base, and imbricated 

 over the stem ; leaves of the upper plane half as long, ovate- 

 lanceolate, cuspidate. Spikes short, resupinate, ^ in. diam. ; 

 bracts of the upper plane crowded, lanceolate, erecto-patent, a line 

 long ; of the loAver plane ovate-lanceolate, ascending. 



Hab. Benin Islands, Wri(/ht. 371! Eesembles S. integer rima in 

 its habit and leaves. It is the Benin plant referred by Spring to 

 S. pdllida. 



270. S. zeylanica, n. sp. — Habit of S. integerrima. Stems 

 slender, trailing, intermatted, 2-3 in. long, forked low down, 

 sparingly pinnate. ' Leaves of the lower plane spaced on the main 

 stem, spreading, oblique ovate, acute, a line long, pale green, 

 membranous, very unequal-sided, very cordate, minutely cihated, 

 and imbricated over the stem on the upper side at the base; 

 leaves of the upper plane one-third as long, cordate-ovate, distinctly 

 cuspidate. Spikes resupinate, ^-i in. long, 1 lin. diam. ; bracts of 

 the upper plane ovate, imbricated, erecto-patent; of the lower 

 plane ovate-cuspidate, ascending, yeJlowish. 



Hab. Ceylon, Gardner ! Differs from 8. integerriDta by its 

 distinctly dimorphous bracts and cuspidate leaves of the upper 

 plane. 



