446 73. OPHIOGLOSSUM, OPHIOBERMA, CHEIROGLOSSA. 



without a distinct haft ; texture stouter than in the others, the midrib usually 

 indistinct ; fertile spike 1 in. or more 1., upon a peduncle 2-4 in. 1., and con- 

 siderably overtopping the sterile division when the plant is fully mature. 

 HL.F.t.4G. 



Hab. Lapland to Japan and the Himalayas ; Azores, Guinea Coast, Angola, St. Helena, 

 Abyssinia, Cape Colony, Mascaren Isles, Australia, New Zealand, Sandwich Isles, Tem- 

 perate North America. From the type 0. coriaceum, Hk., 0. elongatum, E. Cunning, and 

 0. ovatum, Bory, scarcely diverge at all. The Cape plant (0. capense, Schlecht.) has some- 

 times, but not always, a more distinctly-marked midrib than the European one. The 

 Azorean 0. polyphyllum, A. Br., is a small form with often several fronds from the same 

 root. 0. costatum, R. Br. (Hk. fil. Fl. Tasm. t. 169), is also smaller, with the midrib 

 sometimes clearly marked. There is a tropical variety (0. pedunculosum, Desv., Kze. 

 p. 58. t. 29 ; 0. petiolalum, Hk. Ex. F. t. 56, and Blume) which occurs in Peninsular 

 India, Java, and Guiana, with the barren division like thatof the type in form and size, but 

 thinner in texture, and with a distinct haft, which is not clearly separable from the large 

 forms of 0. nudicaule ; and near to this come 0. brevipes, Beddome, t. 72, from the Neil- 

 gherries, with a stem under 1 in. 1., a peduncle 5-6 in. 1., very distinct areolation and 

 copious free veinlets ; and the Angolan and Guinean 0. aphrodisiacum, Welw. MSS., 

 with a bulbous rootstock J-f in. thick, and a distinct flattened midrib extending 

 nearly to the apex of the sterile segment. Discovered lately in the island of Ascension 

 by Dr. Murphy. 



6. 0. reticulatum, L. ; rootstock not tuberous ; /r.6-12 in. 1., the sterile division 

 placed about the middle, 2-3 in. 1., 1^-2 in. br., with a distinct haft and dis- 

 tinctly cordate basal lobes, the point blunt or subacute ; texture thin, the veins 

 distinct, usually no midrib ; fertile spike 1 in. or more 1., on a slender peduncle 

 2-4 in. 1., much overtopping the sterile segment. Hk. & Or. t. 20. Beddome, 

 t. 70. .v * 



Hab. Tropical America, from Cuba to Peru and South Brazil ; Polynesian, Malayan, 

 and Philippine Isles ;,East India, as far north as the Himalayas, Guinea Coast, Angola, 

 Zambesi-land, Mascaren Isles, Cape Colony. To this appear to belong 0. cordifolium, 

 Roxb., 0. Cumingianum and peruvianum, Presl, and probably 0. cognatum, Presl, is a 

 form with a rudimentary midrib. 



Ophioderma, Endl Fertile spikes usually single, arising from the centre of 

 the barren segment. Sp. 7-8. 

 V.' 



7. O. (Ophiod.) intermedium, Hk. ; fr. erect, 6-8 in. 1., the flattened stem 

 passing gradually into the leafy part, which is in. br. riot far from the point ; 

 texture fleshy ; veins indistinct ; fertile spike 1^ in. 1., erect, on a peduncle which 

 about equals it and just reaches to the point of the barren- segment. Hk. Ic. 

 t. 995. 



Hab. Borneo, T. Lobb. Perhaps a mere form of the next. 



8. O. ( Ophiod. } pendulum, L. ; fr. pendulous, ribbon-like, without a distinct 

 stem, 1-15 ft. L, 1-3 in. br., simple or forked ; texture fleshy ; no midrib, and the 

 veining not distinct ; fertile spike usually low down, 2-6 in. 1., on a peduncle 

 shorter than itself, usually solitary. Hk. & Gr. t. 19. G. F. t. 33. 



Hab. Polynesian Isles to N. S. Wales, Assam, Malaccas, Philippines, Ceylon, and 

 Mascaren Isles. 



Cheiroglossa, Presl. Fertile spikes numerous, arising from the base of the 

 barren segment. Sp. 9. 



9. O. (Cheir.) palmatum, L. ; st. 6-12 in. 1., fleshy, flaccid ; fr. like the letter 

 V, 6-12 in. L, 4-8 in. br., more or less cut from the circumference towards the 

 centre into deep blunt lobes ; texture fleshy ; fertile spikes 2-12 in number, 1-2 

 in. 1., arising from the stem or edge of the lower part of the frond, on short 

 nodding or spreading peduncles. 



Hab. Cuba to South Brazil ; and it has been gathered also in Bourbon. 



