ICONES FILICUM SINICARUM 
PLATE 55 
PTERIS INSIGNIS Mettenius 
POLY PODIACEAE 
PTERIS INSIGNIS Mettenius; Kuhn, Journ. Bot. (1868) 269; C. Chr. Ind. Fil. 599 
(1906). 
Rizome oblique, thick, woody, blackish, clothed in ferruginous, subulate scales; 
frond solitary, uniform, stipe 40-60 cm long, rather thick near the base, terete, nar- 
towly sulcate above, straminous, naked, lamina 45-80 cm long, 20-30 cm broad at 
base, ovate or ovate-oblong, pinnate, pinnae 6-13 pairs, petiolate (petioles in lower 
pinnae 1.2 cm long), to 20 cm long, 2-2.6 cm broad, the uppermost ones generally smaller 
and also free, similar to the lower ones, margin very entire throughout, cartilaginous; 
texture thickly chartaceous, naked; venation distinct, lateral veins patent, forked; sori . 
narrow, confined to the upper half of the margin, leaving a considerable portion of the 
entire apex sterile, indusium narrow, gray, entire. 
Hongkong: Hance 187 (type). Kwangtung: Tai-mo Shan, C. G. Matthew, Nov. 
7, 1907; Swatow, Thai-yong, Dr. Dalziel, July, 1901; Yingtak, C. L. Tso 21980; 
Lockchong, C. L. Tso 7559; N. K. Chun 41995, 42877; Kochow, Y. Tsiang 20782; 
Lung-tau Shan. Y. K. Wang 31645, 31545. Kweichow: Chen-feng, Y. Tsiang 4346; 
Pin-fa, Cavalerie 3894. Kwangsi: Yao Shan, S.S.Sin & K. K. Wang 183B, in bamboo 
grove; San-fang, Lu-chen, R. C. Ching 6289; Lin Yin, R. C. Ching 7037. Kiangsi: 
Tsoongjen, Lepeichaio, Y. Tsiang 10244 (1932). Fukien: Amoy, Swinhoe (1870). 
Yunnan: The Red River, Hancock 179 
One of the most distinct of the group of Pteris cretica L. from which it differs in 
decidedly larger size, simple basal pinnae, the lower few pairs of pinnae remaining sterile, 
and in the very entire margin throughout. Our plate represents a rather small form. 
Plate 55. Fig. 1. habit sketch (natural size). 2. portion of a fertile pinna (x3). 
