44. XEPHUODIUM, LASTREA. 277 



2-3 in. br. ; secondary and tertiary rachises also zigzag ; lower pinnl. subdeltoid ; 

 segm. 2-3 lin. br., ovate-rhomboidal or pinnatifid ; both sides naked ; colour pale- 

 green ; sori lar-ge, 3-4 to the lower segm. near the midrib. Aspid. Thwaites. 

 Lastrea, Beddome, Fil. S. Ind. t. 271. 



Hab. Ceylon, C. P. 3858. Perhaps not distinct from the last, with which it agrees, 

 except in the peculiar zigzag rachises. 



96. N. (Last.) deparioides, Hk. ; st. 1 ft. or more 1., 'firm, slightly scaly 

 below ; ft: 1^-2 ft. 1., 8-10 in. br., oblong-lanceolate ; lower pinnae 4-6 in. 1., 

 2 in. br., lanceolate, cut down to the rachis below into unequal-sided, stalked, 

 deltoid pinnl. with broad, blunt subquadrangular lower lobes and prominent 

 teeth ; texture herbaceous ; rachis and both surfaces naked ; sori terminal in the 

 teeth, which the convex involucres quite conceal. Hk. Sp. 4. p. 139. Fil. Ex. 

 t. 3. Diclosodon, Moore. 



Hab. Ceylon and S. India. Teeth very distinct and sor quite terminal, so the plant 

 resembles Deparia, a character quite unique in the genus. 



97. N. (Last.) Thwaitesii, Baker ; st. 1 ft. or more 1., slender, stramineous, 

 slightly scaly below; fr. 12-18 in. 1., 6-8 in. br., lanceolate-deltoid; pinnce 

 lanceolate, 3-4 in. 1., 1^ in. br. ; pinnl. distant, subdeltoid, unequal-sided, 

 slightly bluntly lobed below, obliquely truncate at the base on the lower side ; 

 colour pale-green ; texture herbaceous ; rachis and both sides quite naked ; sori 

 small, quite marginal ; invol. naked. A. concinnum, Thwaites (non Mett.~). 



Hab. Ceylon. Very like the last in outline, but quite different in fruit. 



98. N. (Last.) sphcerocarpum, Hk. ; st. 6 in. 1., slender, stramineous, clothed 

 below with a few lanceolate scales ; fr. 12-18 in. L, 6-8 in. br., ovate-lanceolate ; 

 lower pinnce 3-4 in. L, 2 in. br., lanceolate-deltoid ; pinnl. lanceolate, cut down to 

 the rachis below into small oblong toothed lobes ; texture herbaceous ; rachis 

 stramineous, slightly scaly ; both surfaces naked ; sori mostly solitary at the 

 base of the lobes; invol. large, reniform, membranous. Hk. Sp. 4. p. 139. 

 Athyrium, Fee. 



Hab. Mexico. Thinner in texture than N. mexicanum, and the fruit different. 



99-. N. (Last.) athamanticum, Hk. ; st. tufted, stout, stramineous, 1 ft. 1., 

 clothed at the base with large concolorous linear scales ; fr. 1-2 ft. 1., 6-9 in. br., 

 oblong-lanceolate ; pinnce imbricated, the lower ones 4-6 in. 1., 2-3 in. br., the 

 pinnl. cut down to the rachis below into blunt oblong-rhomboidal lobes ; texture 

 subcoriaceous ; colour pale-green, the stramineous rachis and both sides naked ; 

 veinlets immersed, copiously pinnate in the lower lobes ; sori close to the midrib ; 

 invol. large, persistent. Hk. Sp. 4. p. 125. t. 258. 



Hab. Cape Colony to Natal and Angola. Most like N. sparsum in texture, but more 

 divided. 



100. N. (Last.) incequale, Hk. ; st. 1 ft. or more 1., with a dense tuft of 

 reddish-brown lanceolate scales at the base and a few upwards ; fr. 1-2 ft. 1., 

 8-12 in. br., ovate-deltoid ; lower pinnce rather shorter and broader than the 

 next, which are 6-8 in. 1., 2-3 in. br. ; pinnl. lanceolate, cut down nearly to the 

 rachis into oblong spinoso-serrated segm.; texture herbaceous ; colour dark- 

 green ; rachises and both surfaces nearly naked ; sori in two rows near the 

 midribs ; invol. firm, naked. Hk. Sp. 4. p. 125. 



Hab. Cape Colony and Natal. Intermediate in habit between N. spinulosum and the 

 large forms of Filix-mas. 



101. N. (Last.) Fakoncri, Hk. ; st. 1 ft. 1., densely clothed throughout with 

 concolorous scales, varying from ovate to subulate ; fr. l|-2 ft. 1., 8-10 in. br., 



