CXLIII. FILICES. 4G5 



rliizome, and a second inner membranous involucre often developed ; and 

 1 (P. incisa), to sect. Litohrochia^ which has copiously anastomosing veins. 



IG. ACTINIOPTERIS, Link. 



Sori and involucre linear and continuous. Frond rigid, like 

 the leaf of a fan-palm in miniature. — IIooTc. and Balcer^ Syn. 

 Ml. p. 246. Blechnum, Fappe and Baii'son,p. 16 {in part). 



A single species, common in tropical Africa, extending southward to 

 Magalisberg. 



17. LOMARIA, AVilld. 



Involucres linear. Sori occupying the whole under surface 

 of the narrow linear pinnae of a modified frond. — Fappe and 

 Baivson, p. 27 ; Hook, and Baker, Sp. Fil. p. 174. 



4 South African species. — Barren and fertile fronds, in all of them simply- 

 pinnate, quite distinct from one another. One of the species (Z. ptinctnlata) 

 passes gradually into a very curious Scolopendrium-\ike variety (Scolopen- 

 drium Krehsii, Kunze). 



TeIBE 6. BLECHNEiB. 



Sori and involucres linear, more or less intramarginal, 

 parallel with the midrib and edge of the pinnae, and conse- 

 quently crossing the veins, 



18. BLECHNUM, Linn. 



The only genus, represented by a single species. In general 

 habit the genus quite corresponds with Lomaria, the difference 

 being, that the involucre arises from a line more or less clearly 

 within the edge. 



1 South African pinnate species ; also found in Bourbon and Mada- 

 gascar. 



TeIBE 7. AsPLENIEiE. 



Sori and involucres running down the veins, linear or oblong, 

 sometimes 2 placed back to back, sometimes a little curved, 

 oblique with regard to the midrib. 



19. ASPLENIUM, Linn. 



The only genus. — Hook, and Baker, Syn. Fil. p. 190. As- 

 plenium and Athyrium, Pappe and Bawson,pp. 16 and 17. 



A very large genus, represented by 28 species in South Africa, 21 of 

 which belong to sect. Euasplenium, which has free veins and single linear 

 sori quite upon the back of the segments ; 5 to sect. Darea, in which the 

 sori are linear, and the divisions so narrow that the sori are nearly or quite 

 marginal, and the veins usually restricted to a single central costa ; and 2 

 to sect. Athyrium, which approximates to Nephrodium by its much shorter 

 sori, often considerably curved ; sect. Diplazhim, with free veins and gemi- 



2 n 



