38. ASPLEXIUM, EUASPLENIUM. 207 



spreading pinnae on each side, which are 4-8 in. 1., f-l in. br., the point acu- 

 minate, the edge sharply inciso-serrate, the upper base rounded, the lower 

 cuneate ; texture coriaceous ; rachis strong, erect, brown, sometimes polished ; 

 veins very oblique ; sori mostly in 2 parallel rows, close to the midrib. Hk. Sp. 3. 

 p. 154. A. camptosorum, Mett. A. progrediens, Fee. 



Hab. Tropical America, from Cuba and Guatemala southward to Organ Mountains and 

 Peru, and gathered also by Mann on the Cameroon Mountains and at Fernando Po. 

 Var. Imrayanum, Hk., is a large form with the pinnae often deeply lobed. 



87. A. marinum, Linn. ; st. tufted, 3-6 in. 1., naked, except at the base, 

 polished, chesnut-brown, the scales linear, nearly black ; fr. 6-12 in. 1., 2-3 

 in. br., oblong-lanceolate, the apex pinnatifid ; pinnae of the lower half quite 

 distinct, spreading horizontally, 1 in. or more 1., \ in. br., oblong or lanceolate- 

 deltoid, the point acute or obtuse, the margin crenato-dentate, sometimes deeply 

 sinuated, the base slightly truncate below, and often auricled above ; texture 

 subcoriaceous ; veins usually once forked ; sori broad, falling short of the edge. 

 Hk. Sp. 3. p. 95. Brit. F. t. 31. 



Hab. Coast of W. Europe, from the Orkneys to the Canaries and Azores ; and there 

 are specimens also in the Kew Herbarium from Nova Scotia, the island of St. Vincent, 

 and S. Brazil. 



88. A. obtusatum, Forst. ; st. tufted, 3-6 in. 1., firm, greyish, densely clothed 

 at the base with large, thin, grey, lanceolate scales ; fr. 6-12 in. 1., 3-4 in. br., 

 oblong or ovate-deltoid, with a terminal pinna not much larger than the others, 

 and 2-6 pairs on each side, which are 1-2 in. 1., ^-| in. br., obtuse at the point, 

 the edge crenate, the base truncato-cuneate, especially on the lower side, and 

 shortly stalked ; texture cartilaginous ; rachis firm, broad, often compressed and 

 channelled, both surfaces naked ; colour, pale-green ; veins immewed and incon- 

 spicuous ; sori copious, broad, linear-oblong, falling short of the edge. Hk. Sp. 

 Fil. 3. p. 96. Fil. Ex. t. 46. /3, A. obliquum, Forst. ; fr. often more than 1 ft. 1., 

 6 in. br. ; pinnce more numerous, often 4 in. 1., 1 in. br., narrowed gradually to 

 an acute point, with the lines of fruit ^-| in. 1. and closer ; texture still carti- 

 laginous. y, A. lucidum, Forst. \fr. sometimes 2 ft. 1., with 15-20 pairs of pinnce 

 on each side, which are more herbaceous in texture, darker green in colour, the 

 lowest 6 in. 1., 1-1^ in. br., narrowed gradually to a long acuminated point, 

 the edge more deeply toothed, the rachis often dark-coloured. Hk. Sp. 3.p. 99. 



Hab. Peru and Chili, Polynesian Islands, and plentiful in New Zealand and Australia. 

 The three well known plants here united appear to glide into one another by the most 

 gradual intermediate stages of transition ; and what complicates the matter still more is 

 the occurrence of forms with the pinna? pinnatifid or even fully pinnate, which cannot be 

 separated clearly. Of these A. scleropium, Hombr. & Jacq., is most like /3 in texture, 

 with the pinnae regularly and closely toothed throughout to a depth of two lines or more ; 

 A. difforme, R. Br., has an ovate-deltoid frond of coriaceous texture, with pinnae quite 

 cut down to a narrow-winged rachis in the lower part into distinctly separated roundish 

 or oblong sinuated pinnules ; and A. Lyallii, Moore (A. lucidum, var. Lyallii, Hk. fil. 

 Fl. N. Z. t. 77), has a herbaceous frond nearly 18 in. 1., 9 in. br., with lanceolate deltoid 

 lower pinnas 6 in. 1., 3 in. br. ; in the extreme form cut down into deeply-toothed pin- 

 nules, which are cuneate at the base and distinctly stalked. 



89. A. gemmiferum, Schrad. ; st. tufted, 3-6 in. 1., firm, greyish, the base and 

 lower part scaly ; fr. 1-2 ft. 1., 4-8 in. br., oblong, generally proliferous at the 

 apex, with 6-12 erecto-patent distinctly-stalked pinnce on each side, the lowest 

 of which are 4-6 in. ]., ^-1 in. br., narrowed gradually to an acute point ; the 

 edge crenato-dentate, the base truncato-cuneate ; texture herbaceous or subcori- 

 aceous ; rachis firm, naked, compressed below ; veins immersed and incon- 

 spicuous ; sori copious, broad, falling short of both edge and midrib. Hk. Sp. 3. 

 ;>. 100. 



