31. PTERIS, LITOBROCHIA. 171 



76. P. (Lito.) decurrens, Presl ; st. 1 ft. 1., strong, erect, naked, straw- 

 coloured ; fr. l|-3 ft. 1., 12-18 in. br., the terminal pinna 6-9 in. 1., 1^-2 in. br., 

 cut down to a broadly-winged rachis into numerous linear slightly toothed and 

 slightly falcate lobes, 1-1^ in. 1., in. br. ; lateral pinnae numerous, the upper 

 ones narrowly decurrent at the base, the lower pair about 2 in. below the next, 

 and bipartite ; texture herbaceous ; rachis and both surfaces hairy ; veins fine, 

 inconspicuous, anastomosing copiously ; sori reaching nearly to the tip of the 

 segments. Hk. Sp. 2. p. 221. 



Hab. South of Brazil. Habit of quadriaurita, with decurrent upper pinna and both 

 surfaces conspicuously hairy. 



77. P. (Lito.) macilenta, Cunning. ; st. 6-12 in. 1., naked, straw-coloured, 

 brownish and scabrous below ; fr. 1-3 ft. 1. ; terminal pinna 4-8 in. 1., cut down 

 nearly to the rachis into several deeply sinuated and toothed oblong lobes on each 

 side ; lot. pinna? numerous, the upper ones 2 in. apart at the base, cut down quite 

 to the rachis below into deeply lobed deltoid pinnl., the lower ones 1 ft. 1. and very 

 compound ; texture thinly herbaceous ; rachis naked, straw-coloured, slender, 

 flexuose ; veins fine, not anastomosing much except the costal arches ; sori not 

 reaching the point of the segments. Hk. Sp. 2. p. 219. 



Hab. New Zealand. The largest ultimate segments not cut down to the rachis are 

 about 1J in. 1., f in. br. A well-marked species. 



78. P. (Lito.) comans, Forst. ; st. 1 ft. or more 1., naked, erect, glossy ; 

 terminal pinna 1 ft. or more 1., cut down nearly to the rachis into long linear 

 lobes, which are sometimes 4 in. 1., | in. br., suddenly decurrent at the base, 

 bluntly toothed when barren ; lateral pinnae in a few opposite pairs, sometimes 

 18 in. 1., 6 in. br., the lowest sometimes slightly compound at the base ; rachis 

 and both surfaces naked ; texture thinly herbaceous ; veins fine, anastomosing 

 copiously ; sori falling short of the apex of the segments. Hk. Sp. 2. p. 219. 

 (3, P. Endlicheriana, Ag. ; fr. much larger ; lobes smaller with sinuated margins ; 

 lower pinnae very compound, their pinnl. 6-9 in. 1., deltoid, with numerous 

 deeply pinnatifid lanceolate seam, on both sides. Hk. I. c. Ic. PI. t. 973. 



Hab. Polynesian Islands, Juan Fernandez, Norfolk Island, New Zealand, Van 

 Diemen's Land. Though P. comans and Endlicheriana are very different in the extreme 

 states, they appear to be quite connected by intermediate stages. The Juan Fernandez 

 plant (P. Berteroana, Ag.) corresponds very nearly with the former. The allied P. Icevis, 

 Metten., from New Caledonia, we do not possess. 



79. P. (Lito.) aculeata, Swartz ; st. 2 ft. 1. or more, smooth or rough with 

 raised points, naked ; fr. ample ; terminal pinna 6-12 in. 1., cut down nearly to 

 the rachis throughout into lobes l|-2 in. 1., ^- in. br., the point acuminate, 

 sterile parts finely serrated ; lateral pinnae numerous, upper ones simple, lower 

 compound, sometimes 18 in, 1., 9 in. br., with numerous pinnatifid pinnl. on both 

 sides ; rachis and surfaces naked ; texture herbaceous ; veins fine, anastomosing 

 copiously ; sori not reaching the points. Hk. Sp. 2. p. 224. 



Hab. West Indies and Mexico southward to Brazil and Peru. P.propinyua, Ag., and 

 P. polita, Link, appear to be forms of this, differing, the former by its more coriaceous 

 texture, the latter by its less compound lower pinnte. P. Beecheyana, Ag., agrees with 

 the latter. L. Tussaci and grandis, Fe"e, are allied plants unknown to us. 



80. P. (Lito.) leptophylla, Swartz ; st. erect, firm, straw-coloured, 6-9 in. 1. ; 

 fr. 9-12 in. each way, deltoid ; a few of the upper pinnce simple, the largest of 

 these under 1 in. 1., ^ in. br., decurrent at the base, strongly spinuloso-serrated 

 when barren, the central ones lanceolate pinnatifid with numerous similar pinnl. 

 and caudate, the lowest deltoid, with pinnules often 2 in. 1., and again pinnatifid ; 

 texture herbaceous ; rachis and both surfaces naked ; veins fine, usually anasto- 



