31. PTERIS, EUPTERIS. 153 



or more 1., 4-6 in. br., lanceolate-deltoid ; pinnae lanceolate-deltoid, erecto -patent, 

 with a straight rachis, the lower ones slaghtly branched at the base ; segm. on 

 short stalks, oblong or ovate, rounded or cordate at the base, -1 in. 1., half as 

 broad, the point blunt ; texture subcoriaceous ; rachis pubescent and both 

 surfaces slightly so ; veins not visible ; sori in broad marginal lines which soon 

 hide the invol. HL Sp. 2. p. 148. Allosorus, Hk. Bot. Mag. t. 4692. ft, P. 

 flexuosa, Link ; rachises zigzag, the pinnse and pinnl. spreading at right angles 

 or even deflexed. Hk. Sp. 2. p. 148. Pteris, Hk. Ic. PL 2. t. 119. 



Hab. Mexico and New Mexico southward along the Andes to Peru. The two vari- 

 eties seem often very different in habit but, it is impossible to draw the line between them. 

 Mr. J. Smith also admits as distinct Ptei-is sagittata, Cav., in which the segments are 

 somewhat narrowed towards the point. 



j Holcochlsena, Baker. Texture and involucre of Platyloma, from which 

 they differ only by the reticulated venation. Sp. 41-42. 



41. P. (Holco.) Burkeana, Baker ; st. tufted, 4-6 in.l., naked, flexuose, polished, 

 nearly black ; fr. 3-4 in. 1., 2 in. br., with several pairs of simple, entire, short- 

 stalked upper pinnce, which are 1-1^ in. 1., j in. or more br., quite entire, 

 rounded at the base, blunt at the point ; lower pinnae slightly compound ; rachis 

 and both surfaces naked ; costce black and polished in the* lower part ; texture 

 coriaceous ; veins copiously anastomosing ; sori quite continuous round the 

 margin of the pinnl., broad and ultimately hiding the reflexed involucre. 

 Pteris, Hk. Sp. 2. p. 213. t. 126. B. Pteris dura, Willd., oldest name. 



Hab. Cape, Angola, Mascaren and Comoro Isles. 



42. P. (Holco.) angulosa, Baker ; st. 6-12 in. 1., strong, erect, naked, 

 polished, dark chestnut-brown ; fr. 6-12 in. 1. each way, subdeltoid, bi- or tiipin- 

 nate ; upper piniice stalked, simple, cordate-ovate, 1-1 in. 1., ^-f in. br., the 

 margin not toothed but sometimes undulated ; lower pinnce lanceolate-deltoid 

 with several similar pinnl. % in. or more apart, sometimes again compound 

 below ; texture coriaceous ; rachis hairy ; both surfaces naked ; veins copiously 

 reticulated ; sori continuous to the apex of the segments, ultimately concealing 

 the reflexed involucre. Pteris, Bory. Pteris articulata, Kaulf. Hit. Sp. 2. p. 

 214. t. 126. A. 



Hab. Mauritius, Bourbon, and Madagascar. 



GEN. 31. PTERIS, Linn. See page 478. 



Sori marginal, linear, continuous, occupying a slender filiform receptacle in 

 the axis of the involucre. Invol. the same shape as the sorus, usually mem- 

 branous, at first quite covering it, at length more or less spreading. A large 

 cosmopolitan genus, including plants of almost every kind of division and venation. 

 TAB. III. f. 31. 



S Eupteris. Veins all free. Stems ccespitose, involucre single. Sp. 1-39. 

 TAB. III. f. 31. a. b. 



* Integrifolice. Lower pinnce linear, undivided. Sp. 1-3. 



1. P. longifolia, L. ; st. 6-12 in. 1., stout, erect, pale, more or less clothed 

 below with pale-brown linear scales ; fr. 1-2 ft. L, 4-9 in. br., oblong-lanceolate, 

 attenuated below ; pinnce sessile, often 20 to 30 on each side, 3-6 in. 1., -f in. 

 br., linear, entire, truncate or cordate or sometimes slightly auricled at the base ; 

 texture subcoriaceous ; rachis naked or slightly scaly below or throughout, both 

 surfaces naked ; veins close and fine, usually once branched ; invol. membranous, 

 yellowish-brown. Hk. Sp. 2. p. 157. 



