44. NEPHRODIUM, LASTREA. 259 



with free veinlets ; sori in two distinct rows near the main vein ; invol. orbicular, 

 peltate, \ lin. br. Mett. Aspid. 226. 



Hab. Philippines, Cuming, 340. In habit this is near Sagenia pachyphylla and poly- 

 morpha, but it differs from both by its distinctly peltate involucre. 



54. A. calcareum, Presl ; st. tufted, naked, 4-6 in. 1. ; fr. 1 ft. or more L, 

 6-9 in. br., with 4-6 stalked distant pinnce on each side below the pinnatifid 

 apex, the lowest deltoid, 6 in. L, 3-4 in. br, cut down to the rachis below 

 into stalked lanceolate-acuminate deeply and blunt-lobed pinnl.; texture sub- 

 coriaceous ; areolce not very abundant and mainly costular ; invol. orbicular. 

 Hk. Sp. 4. p. 46. 



Hab. Philippines, Cuming, 310. 



55. A. membranaceum, Hk. ; st. tufted, about 1 ft. L, nearly naked, with a few 

 spreading linear scales below ; fr. ]-2 ft. L, 1 ft. br. ; lower pinnce much the 

 largest, subdeltoid, 6-8 in. 1., 3-4 in. br. ; pinnl. on lowest side much larger than 

 the others, with lanceolate-pinnatifid segm. with small oblong, sinuated lobes ; 

 texture thinly herbaceous ; colour pale-green ; veins anastomosing principally in 

 costal arches ; sori copious, principally marginal in the lobes. Hk. Sp. 5. p. 105. 

 A. giganteum, var. minor, Hk. Sp. 4. p. 50. A. devexum, Kze. teste Mett. 



Hab. Ceylon, Java, Philippines, W. China, Formosa. Our description is taken from 

 living specimens sent by Dr. Thwaites. The involucre is truly peltate. 



GEN. 44. NEPHRODIUM, Rich. (See page 493.) 



Sori subglobose, dorsal or terminal on the veinlets. Invol. cordato-reniform, 

 attached by the sinus. A cosmopolitan genus, the species of which vary widely in 

 size, texture, witting, and venation.-^ TAB. V. f. 44. 



Lastrea, Presl. Veins all free. Sp. 1-153. 

 Fronds not cut down to the main rachis. Sp. 1-3. 



1. N. decursivo-pinnatum, Baker; st. tufted, 3-4' in. L, with linear scale* 

 throughout ; fr. 1 ft. or more L, 3-4 in. br. ; pinnce linear, 1-2 in. L, % in. br., 

 the edge more or less deeply pinnatifid, the bases connected by a broad lobed 

 wing, the lower ones gradually reduced and sometimes distinct ; texture her- 

 baceous ; rachis scaly ; under side slightly hairy ; lower veinlets subpinnate 

 sori copious., scattered ; invol. minute, fugacious. Polyp. Van Hall, Hk. Sp. 4. 

 p. 231. 2nd Cent. t. 49. Aspid. Kze. L. decurrens, J. Sin. 



Hab. Japan, China, Formosa. 



2. N. (Last.) pedatum, Hk. ; st. tufted, 4-6 in. L, glossy, eberieous ; fr. 3-4 in. 

 each way, cordate-deltoid, deeply pinnatifid ; upper lobes broad, blunt, sub- 

 entire, lower deeply lobed on the lower side ; texture coriaceous ; both sides 



f The character furnished by the shape of the involucre divides the original Aspidium 

 into two unequal halves. The two genera thus obtained have a closely similar range of 

 variation in cutting and venation, and it is by no means clear in which of the two several 

 species should be placed. It is perhaps scarcely needful to warn the young student to 

 bear constantly in mind that an Aspidium with an abortive or obliterated involucre is 

 not distinguishable from a Desmobryoid Polypodium. The number of species which have 

 been originally described as non-indusiate, in which a more or less (often very slightly) 

 developed involucre has been afterwards found to exist, is very considerable, and no doubt 

 more will be added to the list. 



