186 34. BLECHNUM, EUBLECHNUM. 



a point, the lower side truncate and slightly auricled, the upper side cordate with 

 a large hastate auricle, the lower ones broader and shorter ; texture coriaceous ; 

 rachis and both surfaces naked or slightly pubescent ; veins fine, the lateral ones 

 often twice forked ; fertile pinnae narrower ; sori midway between the midrib 

 and edge, in a continuous or interrupted line. Hk. Sp. 3. p. 57. 



Hab. Temperate S. America. M. remotum, Presl, is a small pubescent form, and 

 Tcenitis sagittifera, Bory, a form with pinnatifid pinnae. Very near B. australe, but the 

 sori more interrupted and not so near the midrib. 



12. B. australe, Linn. ; caud. stout, creeping, scaly ; St. erect, 4-6 in. 1. ; fr. 

 9-18 in. 1., 2-3 in. br., lanceolate, narrowed towards both ends ; pinnce numerous, 

 spreading, the sterile ones 1^ in. 1., -f in. br., linear, narrowed to a sharp 

 point, hastate-cordate or auricled at the base, especially on the upper side, quite 

 distinct, the lower ones passing down into mere auricles ; texture rigid and 

 coriaceous ; veins hidden ; rachis and both surfaces naked ; fertile pinnce 

 narrower ; sori in a continuous or slightly interrupted line not quite contiguous 

 to the midrib, sometimes reaching the edge. Hk. Sp. 3. p. 57. 



Hab. S. Africa, northward to Bourbon, Madagascar, and Natal. This and the pre- 

 ceding may be known from all the others by having a space between the sori and 

 midrib, which characterizes Preal's genus Mesothema. 



13. B. Icevigatum, Cav. ; caud. stout, ascending, clothed at the crown with 

 large lanceolate pale-brown scales ; st. erect, 6-9 in. 1., pale, naked or scaly 

 below ; barren fr. oblong-deltoid, 9-15 in. 1., 6-9 in. br., with a large lanceolate 

 terminal pinna, and numerous spreading oblong-lanceolate lateral ones on each 

 side, the largest of which are 3-4 in. 1., 1 in. br., narrowed suddenly to an 

 acuminate point, the margin slightly serrated, quite distinct and cordate at the 

 base ; -texture coriaceous ; rachis and both surfaces naked, or the former slightly 

 scaly ; veins inconspicuous and nearly 1 lin. apart ; fertile fr. smaller and the 

 pinnae narrower and more distant, the line of sori contiguous to the midrib, 

 1^-2 lin. br., with a large brown membranous in vol. Hk. Sp. 3. p . 56. 



Hab. N. S. Wales. 



14. B. serrulatum, Rich. ; caud. elongated, stout, ascending ; $.6-12 in.l., strong, 

 erect, smooth, nearly naked ; fr. oblong-acuminate, 1-2 ft. 1., 6-9 in. br., with 

 12-24 pairs of quite distinct articulated linear-oblong pinnce on each side, the 

 largest of which are 4-5 in. 1., -f in. br., narrowed gradually towards the point 

 and downwards to a narrow base, the margin finely incised ; texture coriaceous ; 

 rachis rigid, naked ; veins very fine and close, not conspicuous ; fertile pinnce 

 narrower; sori in a continuous line close to the midrib. Hk. Sp. 3. p. 54. 

 B. striatum, Br. Hk. Sp. 3. p. 55. t. 159. 



Hab. Florida, W. Indies, Guiana, and Brazil ; Australia, New Caledonia, Borneo, 

 Malacca, and Mishtnee. 



15. B. orientale, Linn. ; caud. stout, erect, clothed at the crown with fibrillose 

 dark-brown scales ; st. 4-8 in. 1., strong, erect, scaly below ; fr. 1-3 ft. 1., 6-12 in. 

 br., ovate, with very numerous nearly contiguous linear pinnce on each side, 

 which are 4-8 in. 1., -J in. br., narrowed to a long point, the bases quite distinct, 

 the upper ones decurrent, a few of the lowest mere auricles ; texture sub- 

 coriaceous ; rachis and both surfaces naked ; veins fine and close ; sori in a long 

 ontinuous line close to the midrib. Hk. Sp. 3. p. 52. F. Ex. t. 77. 



Hab. Australia aud Polynesian Islands northward to S. China and the Himalayas. 

 Presl places this with species 4, 5, 6, 14, and 17, in his genus Blechnopsis, characterized 

 by having a cartilaginous border to the pinnae which unites the tips of the veins. 



16. B. melanopus, Hk. ; st. erect, G in. 1., naked, dark chesnut-brown ; fr. 



