membranous, undulate or much curled, linear-oblong, very obtuse at each 

 end, sharply lacero-serrate throughout, midribbed and closely penninerved 

 with slender, parallel, patent veins. The midrib is serrated at back, and 

 the veins generally rough with proliferous processes, some of which are 

 converted into fruit. Young leaves always spring from the midribs of the 

 older. The cystocarps are unknown. Stichidia are abundantly borne on 

 the nerves : they are narrow-linear, mucronate, simple or proliferously com- 

 pound, containing a double row of vertically flattened tetraspores. The 

 surface-cellules are minute ; the areolations, seen under a moderate lens, are 

 indicative of the large central cells of the frond. Colour, when recent, a 

 very deep full red, slightly purplish ; when dry red-brown or brown. Sub- 

 stance very crisp and rigid. It does not in the least adhere to paper in 

 drying. 



A rare species, and interesting as one of the few Bidymeiiice 

 that are found within the tropical as well as temperate zones. 

 It was first described by Turner, from an East Indian specimen, 

 preserved in Vahl's herbarium, and, more recently, it has been 

 gathered by Dr. Wight, on the Madras coast, and by myself on 

 the south coast of Ceylon. But none of the Indian specimens 

 that I have seen approach in size and beauty to those found in 

 Western Australia. The cystocarpic fruit is still a desideratum \ 

 the stichidia are very commonly found. 



Fig. 1, DiCTYMENiA FRAXINIFOLIA, — the natural size. 2. Section through the 

 lamina. 3. Portion of the surface of the lamina, showing the serrated 

 margin, and the stichidia rising from the nerves. 4. A stichidium. 5. A 

 tetraspore : — the latter figures variously vmgnijied. 



