Acrostichum] filices (Carruthers). 277 



5. A. punctatum Linn. Sn.ppl. PI. p. 444 (1781), non Linn. Sp. 

 PI. ed. ii. p. 1524 (1763), which is Poli/podmm iriodes Lam. 



Swartz (Syn. Fil. p. 13) misquotes the Linnaean name as 

 punctulatum, and this altered form has been followed by most 

 authors. 



St. Thomas's Island. — In very shaded woods above Fazenda de 

 Monte Gaffe ; in fr. Dec. 1860. No. 58. 



GoLUNtiO Alto. — In the densely shaded and very elevated woods 

 of Quilombo Quiacatubia ; Jan. 1855. No. 153. 



The plant from St. Thomas's Island was named by Sir William 

 Hooker A. flurkd'dc, but Welwitsch points out that it is obviously 

 only a form and not a variety of A. punctatum. It has the main 

 veins distinct, and consequently belongs to the Gymnopteris section 

 of the genus. 



Var. angolense. 



A. angolense Welw. ms. Ghrijsodiuvi sp. nov. Matt, in Kuhn 

 Fil. Afr. p. 52. 



GoLUXGO Alto. — In the dry dense woods of the mountains of 

 Cungulungulo, about 2800 ft. altitude, at Montalegre. No. 157. 



Welwitsch and Mettenius considered this fern should rank as a 

 distinct species. Welwitsch separates it because the fronds are impari- 

 pinnate to the apex ; the pinnae are distinctly petiolate, and a bulbil 

 is found at the base of the last pinna. The pinnae of the upper part 

 of the frond are subsessile ; they have in the barren frond long acumi- 

 nate apices, while the pinnae of the fertile fronds are three or four 

 tiroes narrower, and shortly acuminate. 



In all essential characters this plant so closely agrees with A. punc- 

 tatum that it seems to deserve a place only as a variety of that species. 



6. A. Afzelii. 



Hemionitis acrostichoides Afzel. in Sw. in Schrader, Journ. Bot. 

 (1800) ii. p. 17 (1801). Polyhotrya acrostichoides Mett. in Kuhn 

 Fil. Afr. p. 52.. 



St. Thomas's Island. — On Monte Caffe' along with specimens of 

 Asplenium longicauda Hk. ; without fr. Dec. 1860. No. 636. 



PuNGo Andongo. — On shaded banks near the cataract of Cabondo ; 

 in fr. May 1857. No. 154. 



Fronds dimorphous, coriaceous, rhizome extensively creeping hori- 

 zontally. 



This fern is nearly allied to A. coniaminans Wall, one of the species 

 included by Mr. Baker in ^1. virens Wall. In A. contaminans the two, 

 three, or four secondary veins run out from the vein free, while in 

 the African species the meshes of the secondary veins continue to or 

 almost to the margin, and only the veinlets reach the margin free. 



7. A. aureum Linn. Sp. PL p. 1069 (1753). 



Prince's Island.— By the rivulets near the sea-coast, and with 

 Rhfzophora ; Sept. 1853. No. 15. 



Bakro do Daxde. — Frequent, forming masses in the brackish 

 places, often with Rhizophura, and Dieimnocarpus at the mouth of 

 the river Dande ; in fr. Sept. 1858. No. 158. 



A noble fern, with a creeping rhizome, often nearly as thick as a 

 small arm ; fronds 3 to (5 ft. high, with coriaceous pinnie, the upper- 

 most 5 to 7 ft., bearing the fruit. The fronds erect, rigid. Almost 

 without doubt a halophyte. 



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