45. NEPIIROLEPIS. 301 



Polypod, Linn. N. tuberosa, Hk. Sp. 4. p. 151. j8, N. pectinata, Schott ; no 

 tubers, stem and race's naked, Drawee less distinctly auricled at the base on the 

 upper, obliquely truncate on the lower side. 



Hab. Cuba and Mexico to Brazil and Peru ; Japan and N. India southward tc 

 Australia and New Zealand ; Mascaren Isles, Zambesi-land, Guinea Coast. /3 restricted 

 to the New World. Distinguished from the two next by its narrower frond, close blunt 

 pinnse, and submedial sori. Here belong N. occidental, Kunze, N. imbricata, Kaulf., 

 N. obtusifolia, Presl, and N. delicatula, Decaisne ; the latter a small delicate N. Indian 

 form. 



2. N. exaltata, Schott ; st. tufted, 4-6 in. 1., firm, naked, or slightly scaly ; 

 fr. 1-2 ft. or more 1., 3-6 in. br. ; pinnce close, 1^-3 in. 1., -^ in. br., usually 

 acute, the edge entire or slightly crenate, the upper side auricled, the lower 

 rounded at the base ; texture subcoriaceous ; rachis and both sides nearly naked ; 

 sori submarginal ; invol. firm, distinctly reniform. Hk. Sp. 4. p. 152. f3, N. 

 hirsutula, Presl ; rachis densely and both surfaces more or less coated with 

 ferruginous down. Polyp. Forst. 



Hab. Cuba, the Bahamas, and Mexico to Peru and Brazil ; Polynesia ; N. India and 

 Chusan to Queensland and Ceylon ; Mauritius, Angola, Zambesi-land, Guinea Coast. 

 To this appear to belong N. volubitis, J. Sm., a straggling flexuose form, and tho 

 American A. pilosum, L. and F. The typical plant differs from the next species by its 

 smaller size and firmer distinctly reniform involucres; but in some of the forms which 

 agree with this in habit, as the New World A. sesquipedale, Willd., N. valida, Kze., 

 N. neglecta, Kze., the involucre resembles that of N. acuta. 



3. N. acuta, Presl ; st. tufted, 4-8 in. 1., firm, naked or slightly scaly ; fr. 

 2-4 ft. 1., 8-12 in. br. ; pinnce 4-8 in. 1., ^-1 in. br., acute, the edge entire 

 or slightly crenate, the upper side auricled, the lower rounded at the base ; 

 texture subcoriaceous ; rachis and both sides nearly naked ; sori submar- 

 ginal ; invol. suborbicular, subpeltate. Hk. Sp. 4. p. 153. N. punctulata, 

 Presl. N. ensifolia, Presl. N. splendens, Presl. N. biserrata, Schott, oldest 

 name. 



Hab. Cuba and Guatemala to Peru and Brazil ; Polynesia, Hong-Kong, and Loo Choo 

 to Queensland ; Mascaren Isles, Zambesi-land, Natal, Angola, Guinea Coast. As will 

 be seen, this is almost identical with the preceding in its distribution. There is also a 

 ferrugineo-tomentose variety of this, which appears to be N. rufescens, Presl. N. platyotis, 

 Kunze, is a form with the auricle sometimes 1 in. 1. 



4. N. ramosa, Moore ; st. very short, scattered, on a slender, wiry, wide- 

 creeping rhizome ; fr. 6-12 in. 1., 1-3 in. br. ; pinnce -1^ in. I., - in. br., 

 slightly crenate, the upper edge auricled and truncate, parallel with the stem, 

 the lower oblique ; texture papyraceous ; rachis and both sides slightly villose, 

 the whole plant turning blackish when dried ; invol. roundish, very fuga- 

 cious. Aspidium, J3eauv. N. obliterata, Hk. Sp. 4. p. 154. N. tricho- 

 manoides, J. Sm. 



6. N. altcscandcns, Baker ; st. very short, distant, on a slender, wiry, wide- 

 creeping rhizome ; fr. 6-12 in. 1., 1-3 in. br. ; pinnce |-1 in. 1., -\ in. br., 

 distinctly crenato-pinnatifid, the upper edge auricled and truncate, parallel with 

 the stem, the lower oblique ; texture papyraceous ; rachis and both sides more or 

 less villose, the plant keeping green. when dried ; invol. very fugacious. Polyp. 

 Colla, Hk. Sp. 4. p. 218. P. procurrens, Kze. 



