240 38. ASPLENIUM, DIPLAZIUM. 



Hab. Ceylon, Neilgherries, S. China, Philippines. Here again we fall back upon 

 the living collection at Kew for a description. Our plant is the D. diversifolium of 

 J. Smith, but scarcely of Wallich. Blume's original specimen of dilatatum, and a plant 

 sent by Miquel as A. latifolium, Don, are like this in texture, but the pinnules are 1^ in. 

 apart, the lower ones distinctly stalked, 3 in. 1., and bluntly lobed to a depth of | in. 

 below ; and we have similar examples from China, Java, and Moulmein. 



250. A. (Dipl.) nigro-paleaceum, Baker ; caudex decumbent ; St. not tufted, sub- 

 erect, ^ in. thick, 12-18 in. 1., greenish, deeply channelled in front, thickly clothed 

 with lanceolate nearly black scales ; fr. 2-3 ft. 1., nearly as br. ; lower pinnce 

 12-18 in. 1., 6-8 in. br., with numerous spreading pinnl. 3-4 in. 1., 1 in. br., cut 

 down half or two-thirds totherachis into inciso-crenate linear-oblong lobes, \ in. 

 br.; texture thick, subcoriaceous ; colour bright-green ; rachis thick, naked, slightly 

 zigzag, with a winged line on each side in front, the lower lobes imbricated over 

 it ; veins 6-8 on each side, the lower ones forked; lower sori J in. 1. Diplazium, 

 Kunze, Linn. 24, 270. D. Loddigesii, J. Sm. 



Hab. St. Helena. Our description is drawn up from the copious living specimens at 

 Kew. Perhaps not distinct from D. arborescens, but a much stronger and more coriaceous 

 plant, with a densely scaly stem. 



251. A. (Dipl.) arborescens, Mett. ; caud. oblique ; st. 1-2 ft. 1., strong, 

 erect, smooth, nearly naked ; fr. 3-4 ft. 1., 2-3 ft. br., with numerous pinnce, 

 the lower ones 12-18 in. 1., 4-6 in. br. ; pinnl. 3 in. 1., -f in. br., the point 

 acuminate, the edge cut down two-thirds of the way to the rachis into nearly 

 entire lobes |- in. deep, in. br. ; rachis polished, stramineous ; texture herba- 

 ceous ; veinlets 6-8 on each side, mostly simple ; lower sori | in. 1. HTc. Sp. 3. 

 p. 256 (in part). 



Hab. Mauritius, Bourbon, and Madagascar. D. comorensis, Bojer, from Johanna 

 Island, has broader lobes, not cut more than halfway down to the rachis, 4-5 simple 

 veinlets on each side, and lower sori in. 1. There are two totally different modes of 

 growth amongst these large compound species, and there is much to be done in studying 

 the living plants before we can understand them clearly. 



252. A. (Dipl.) melanocaulon, Baker ; st. 1-2 ft. 1., firm, erect, naked, 

 ebeneous ; fr. 2-3 ft. 1., 9-18 in. br., with numerous pinnce, the lower ones 6-12 

 in. 1., 4-6 in. br. ; pinnl. lanceolate, 2-3 in. 1., f in. br., cut down two-thirds of 

 the way to the rachis into linear-oblong falcate inciso-crenate lobes, J- in. deep ; 

 texture subcoriaceous ; rachises slender, ebeneous like the stem ; veins pinnate in 

 the lobes, 4-5 on each side ; sori short, oblong, not touching either midrib or edge. 

 Diplazium, Brack, p. 144. D. coriaceum, Carruth. 



Hab. Fiji and Aneiteum. Apparently this agrees with arborescens in mode of growth. 

 It differs by its more coriaceous texture, distant veins, ebeneous rachis, and short sori. 



253. A. (Dipl.) Arnottii, Baker ; st. smooth, ang'ular, brownish ; fr. ample ; 

 lower pinnce 9-12 in. 1., 4-6 in. br. ; pinnl. 3-4 in. L, 1 in. or more br. ; cut down 

 below to a distinctly winged rachis into deeply crenate, blunt, oblong lobes 

 % in. deep, J in. br., with a space between them ; texture herbaceous ; rachis 

 slender, naked ; veinlets 5-6 on a side, nearly all branched, the lower ones 

 subpinnate ; sori copious, nearly all diplazioid and filling up when mature 

 nearly the whole surface of the lobes. Diplazium, Brack, p. 144. A. dipla- 

 zioides, Hk. Sf Arn. 



Hab. Sandwich Islands, frequent. Caudex probably of A. arborescens. 



254. A. (Dipl.) pulicosum, Hk. ; st. firm, erect, naked, straw-coloured ; fr. 

 l|-2 ft, 1., 1 ft. br., with numerous pinnce on each side, the lower ones 6-8 in. 1., 

 4 in. br. ; lowest pinnl. 2 in. L, in. br., cut down nearly to the rachis into 

 spreading, creuated linear-oblong lobes 2 lin. br. ; texture coriaceous ; colour 



