21. ADIAXTTJM, EUADIAXTU.M. 123 



***** Capillus-Veneris group. Fronds at least bipinnate, segments flabettato- 

 cuneate, with the petiole near the centre, sori obversely reniform. Sp. 41-51. 



41. A. Capillus-Veneris, L. ; st. suberect, rather slender, 4-9 in. 1., polished, 

 blackish, naked ; fr. with a short terminal and numerous erecto-patent lateral 

 branches on each side, the lowest slightly branched again ; segm. ^-1 in. br., the 

 base cuneate, the outer edge rounded, deeply lobed from the circumference in 

 the direction of the centre, and the lobes again bluntly crenated, lowest petioles 

 J in. 1. ; texture pellucido-herbaceous ; rachis and both surfaces naked ; sori 

 roundish or obreniform, placed in roundish sinuses of the crenations. Hk. Sp. 2. 

 p. 30. Brit. F. t. 41. A. pseudo-capillus, Fee, Icon. t.l2.f. 1. 



Hab. Europe, from S. W. Britain, Jura, and Tyrol, to Greece, Sicily, and Portugal. 

 Africa : Abyssinia, Western Islands, Niger Valley, Angola, Cape Colony, Natal, Zam- 

 besi Land, Mascaren Isles, Barbary States. Asia : Caucasus, Ural, Syria, Persia, 

 Arabia, Himalayas (up to 6,000 ft"), Bombay, S. E. China and Japan, Polynesian 

 Islands. America : Florida southward to Venezuela and Amazon Valley. Var. 

 Hookeri, Lowe, from the Crimea, recedes from the type towards cuneatum. A very 

 deeply-lobed variety is figured by Hooker, Sp. Fil. 2. t. 74. B. 



42. A. asthiopicum, L. ; st. G-9 in. 1., rather slender, erect, dark chestnut-brown, 

 polished, naked ; fr. 12-18 in. 1., G-9 in. br., deltoid in general outline, tri- or 

 quadripinnate ; lower pinnl. 3-4 in. L, 2-3 in. br., deltoid ; ultimate segm. J-^ in. 

 across, in. deep, suborbicular, straight or subcuneate or rounded at the base, 

 the upper part broadly, not deeply lobed ; texture thinly pellucido-herbaceous ; 

 rachis and surfaces naked; sori in several roundish or transversely oblong 

 patches in rounded hollows of the outer edge. Hk. Sp. 2. 'p. 37. t. 77. A. A. 

 assimile, Sw. Hk. Sp. Fil. 12. p. 37. A. emarginatum, Bory, Hk. Sp. 2. p. 39. 

 t. 75. A. A. thalictroides, Willd. A. crenatum, Pair. 



Hab. Spain ; Africa Cameroon Mountains at 7,000 ft., Natal, Cape Colony, Abyssinia, 

 Zambesi Land, Bourbon and Madagascar ; Neilgherries, New Zealand, Temperate and Tro- 

 pical Australia ; America, from Texas and California southward to Valparaiso and Monte 

 Video. Very like A. Capillus- Veneris in general habit, but the segments are more tender, 

 smaller, broader at the base, and not so deeply lobed. A. Chilense, Kaulf., A. glanduli- 

 ferum, Kunze, A. dilatatum, Nuttall, A. scabrum, Kunze, and A. sulphureum, Kaulf., 

 appear to be forms of this with the segments hairy or more or less dusted over witlj 

 white or yellow ceraceous dust beneath. 



43. A. excisum, Kunze ; st. 2-3 in. L, wiry, chesnut-brown, naked, densely 

 tufted ; fr. 6-12 in. L, 3-4 in. br., with numerous flexuose short branches on 

 each side, the lowest of which are slightly branched again ; segm. 2-3 lin. br., 

 broadly cuneate at the base, the upper edge rounded and bluntly lobed ; texture 

 thin ; rachis naked, polished ; sori 2 to 4, large for the size of the plant, 

 obversely reniform, placed in distinct hollows on the lobes. Hk. Sp. 2. p. 41. 



Hab. Chili. Perhaps this also should be considered a variety of jEthiopicum, but it is 

 smaller and more slender, and in habit resembles A. concinnum, the lateral branches of 

 the pinnas being but little developed. 



44. A. concinnum, H. B. K. ; st. 4-8 in. 1., polished, blackish, naked ; fr. 

 ] 2-1 8 in. L, 6-9 in. br., ovate-deltoid, tripinnate ; pinna? numerous, spreading, 

 flexuose, the lowest 4-6 in. L, 2-3 in. br. ; segm. -f in. across, broadly cuneate 

 at the base, the upper edge irregularly rounded, deeply lobed and the lobes again 

 crenate, the lowest segment of each pinna and pinnule large, sessile, adpressed to 

 the main rachis ; textwe papyraceo-herbaceous ; rachis naked, glossy ; sori 

 numerous, obversely reniform, placed in distinct hollows of the outer edge. 

 HLSp.2.p.42. 



Hab. Tropical America, from Mexico to the West Indies, southward to Peru and 

 Brazil. In the shape and size of the pinnules this species is not strikingly different 



