134 FERNS. 
Cape Otway. The genus Davallia was dedicated in honor of an 
observer of Swiss plants at the end of last century.—In damp 
heathy moors grows often the small and unbranched Lindsaya 
linearis, named after a resident of Jamaica, who first of all at the 
end of the last century cultivated Ferns from spores. Of our 
three Adiants, Adiantum Aithiopicum, A. formosum and A. 
hispidum, the first named is the well know Maiden-hairs Fern, 
of wide distribution ; the two others occur with us only in East 
Gippsland, A. formosum being a large and most elegant species. 
The name of the genus from the Greek is to indicate, that 
these Ferns do not absorb moisture with the facility of most other 
plants ; thus we see them often glittering with dew and rain- 
drops. Pteris includes among Victorian Ferns more species than 
any other genus. Pteris aquilina is the same specifically as the 
British Braken and the most gregarious of all our Ferns, often a 
detriment to grassland and forming sometimes almost thickets 
along riverbanks. It passes also under the vernacular name 
Haglefern, on account of its root, which when cut across exhibits 
dark-brown cellular tissue surrounding vascular bundles, by which 
means some approach to the outlines of an eagle is presented. 
Pteris falcata stands next in frequency ; it is a simply pinnate 
rigid small species, the pinne being almost sickle-shaped as the 
name implies. All the other native Pteris-ferns are restricted to 
forests. Pteris incisa (or P. vespertilionis) is recognised by the 
grey-green tender ample frond. Pteris comans is similar, but 
dark-green on both pages. Pteris arguta (or P. tremula) re- 
sembles in outline the Braken-fern, but the frond is of tender 
membranous texture. Pteris umbrosa and P. longifolia are here 
only occurring in Hast Gippsland ; both have long pinne, those 
of the former confluent, those of the latter much narrower and 
always undivided. Pteris is since more than 2,000 years the 
name for the Braken and a few other Ferns in Greece. 
The Lomarias are here represented by Lomaria Capensis (or 
L. procera), the most gigantic among Victorian congeners and the 
most common also in humid localities along watercourses or in 
the forests. Nearly as common and growing in circular tufts is 
Lomaria discolor, recognised from all others by the paleness of 
