14: 2. GLEICHENIA, MERTENSIA. 



2 ft. 1., 1-2 in. br., pectinato-pinnatifid, clothed with cobwebby, deciduous 

 pubescence, generally ferruginous beneath ; segm. spreading, linear, obtuse or 

 retuse ; caps. 2-5, often concealed among the pubescence. Hk. Sp. l.p. 8. M. im- 

 mersa, Klf. Hk. et Grev. Ic. F. t.15 (excellent}. Gl. tomentosa, Sw. Hk. Sp. 1. p. 13. 

 ft more or less glabrous. M. furcata, Sw. G. Mathewsii, Hk. Sp. p. 9. t. 7. B. 

 M. farinosa, Klf. Hk. Sp. p. 9. y longipinnata ; pinnae 2 ft. 1., 3 in. wide. 

 G. longipinnata, Hk. Sp. l.p. 9. M. grandis, Fee, in Hb. nostr. 



Hab. Tropical America, abundant ; very variable in the more or less decurrent lobes 

 of the frond, and iu the presence or absence of tomentum and scales. 



18. G. (Mert.) owhj/hensis, Hk.; st. above much compressed, and winged with 

 2 elevated ciliated lateral lines ; fronds subcoriaceous, 3-4 times or more dicho- 

 tomous, leafy ; pinnce lanceolate, acuminate, a span to 1 ft. 1., 2-2^ in. w. ; segm. 

 linear, horizontal, tapering and acute, cobwebby on the costa and veins beneath ; 

 caps. 2-4. Hk. Sp. l.p. 9. Mert. Hawaiensis, Brack. Fil. U.S.Expl.Exp.p.2Q5. 



Hab. Owhyhee. Macrae, Brackenridge. 



19. G. ( Mert.) flagellaris, Spr. ; branches of the fr. glabrous, repeatedly dicho- 

 )omous, copiously foliaceous, glabrous, often glaucous beneath, subcoriaceo-mem- 

 l>ranaceous ; pinnce erecto-patent or divaricating, extremely variable, broad- or 

 narrow- or linear-lanceolate, 5-G in. to a ft. and more 1.; segm. -2 in. and more 1., 

 linear, sometimes ferrugineo-tomentose at the base beneath; caps. 2-4. Hk. Sp. I. 

 p. 10. Mertensia, Bory. G. laevigata, W. Ilk. Sp, 1. p. 10. G. bifurcata, Bl. 

 ilk. Sp. l.p. 11. Mert. plumaeformis, Pr.Epim.p. 24. t. 15 (very good}. G. brac- 

 teata, Bl. in Hb. Hook, (axillary gemmae pectinato-bracteated ; branches of the//', 

 contracted). 



Hab. Mauritius and Bourbon, Madagascar ; Java and Malay Islands, abundant ; Fiji, 

 Milne. The Malayan form of this is very large and rigid, yet the ramification and the 

 copious foliaceous branches are the same as in the Mauritian and Madagascar form. 



20. G. (Mert.) hirta, Bl. ; (< fr. chartaceous when dry, opaque, green above, 

 beneath cseruleo-pruinate (very glaucous on the rachise and costae), together 

 with the (small) gemmae densely paleaceous with ferruginous, lanceolate scales, 

 paler at the margin and ciliated, at length bare on the costse, many times dicho- 

 tomous ; branches adscendenti-flabellate ;prim. ones 1 in. 1., nudate ; second, ones 

 1^ in. ]., subnudate ; tertiary ones subelongate ; ult. ones (or pinnce} 7-9 in. 1., 

 standing at an angle of 30, linear, gradually attenuated, deeply pinnatifid ; lobes 

 8 in. 1., 1$ in. br. (oblong-) linear, obtuse, slightly curved, the margin re volute, 

 the sides entire, the apex denticulate ; veins lax, slender ; sori between the costa 

 and the margin, of 3-5 caps." Mett. Hk. Sp. l.p. 11. Mett. in Miq. Ann. Mtis. 

 Hot. L. Bat. 1. p. 48. 



Hab. Malay Islands, Reinwardt, Sir W. Norris. It is but recently that I have re- 

 ceived specimens of this from Sir W. Norris, but unfortunately all sterile ones. 



21. G. (Mert.) vestita, Bl.; " fr. chartaceous or subcoriaceous, dark opaque- 

 green above, pruinose beneath, ferruginously fimbriato-paleaceous an the rachises, 

 costce, and gemmce, many times dichotomous ; inf. branches 1-2 in. L, subdivergent ; 

 ult. ones (or pinnce) G-8in. 1., all deeply pinnatifid ; segm. approximate, patent, 4-5 

 lines 1., 2^ lines br., oblong, or ovato-oblong, rather obtuse or shortly apiculate, 

 entire; yem#pinnatifidly bracteated; veinslax, evident beneath, prominent above; 

 caps. 5, large." Mett.Hk. Sp.l.p.lQ. Mett. in Miq. Ann. Mus. Bot. L. Bat. p. 48. 



Hab. Malay Islands, Blume, Van Hasselt. I possess authentic specimens of this 

 from Blume, quite glaucous beneath ; those from Cede" Van Hasselt) are not at all 

 glaucous. Blume notices its close affinity with 0. Icevigata, which we unite with G.flagd- 

 laris. It is a stouter-growing plant, with broader and shorter segments. Mettenius, with 

 equal justice, says it is almost to be looked upon as a large form of G. revoluta (a. 15), 

 with large and less ciliated chaffy scales and more distinct veins. 



Stipes zigzag, branched ; branches bearing from 1-3 pairs of forked divari' 

 eating pinnae; segments never decurrent. Sp. 22. 



