452 FILICES. \_Asple7iium. 



In ravines, Urquhart, Wilford ; also Hance and Wright. In Khasia, Assam, Peuang, 

 and Singapore. 



7. A. sylvaticum, Hool\ Spec. Yd. iii. 248. Ehizome ascending, with 

 a short stem. Fronds from 1 ft. high, simply pinnate, with about 9 pinnae, 

 to twice that height, with numerous pinuBS, the lower ones sometimes again 

 pinnate, passing into a pinnatifid apex. Pinnae usually 3 or 4 in. long, lan- 

 ceolate, slightly crenate or wdth very short broad lobes, oblic|nely truncate or 

 slightly cordate at the base. Veins pinnate, in transverse sets, proceeding 

 from tiie midrib, the branches few, those of each set distinct, not anastomosing 

 with the adjoining ones. Sori usually few and simple, and often along the 

 outer or lower side of the lowest branch of the set of veins, so as to be slightly 

 curved, occasionally on the upper or inner side, rarely on both. — Biplasium 

 Sw. 



In ravines, Urqnhart, Wilford ; also Hance. In the Mauritius, Ceylon, the Malayan 

 Peninsula, and the Ai'chipelago. Some of the Hongkong specimens are of a firmer texture 

 than the southern ones, and the pinna3 broader, but others are precisely similar, and all ap- 

 pear to me to agree much better \vith the character aud specimens of A. sylvaticum than of 

 A. dilatatum, of which Hooker thinks they inay be a simply-pinnate variety. 



8. A. Scbkuhrii, Met I en. ; Hook. Spec. Fil. iii. 351. Rhizome (at 

 least in the smaller varieties) slender and creeping, fronds | to 2 ft. high, always 

 simply pinnate, the young stipes and rhachis bearing a few pale bro\\Ti 

 scales. Pinnae in the larger specimens attaining 6 in., diminishing gradually 

 to the pinnatifid apex, and the lower rather "shorter, all lanceolate, deeply pin- 

 natifid, with a broad usually truncate base ; the lobes numerous, oblong or 

 ovate, obtuse or almost acute, sernilate or entire. Veins pinnate in each lobe, 

 with 4 to 8 branches on each side, not anastomosing with the adjoining ones. 

 Sori usually on all the veins, and thus regularly pinnate as in A. esculentum, 

 simple or the lower ones double. 



Hongkong, Ilance. In northern India, the Malayan Peninsula, the Feejee Islauds, China, 

 Loochoo, Corea, and perhaps Japan. 



9. A. dilatatum. Hook. Spec. Fil. iii. 258. Fronds 2 ft. high or more, 

 twice (or thrice ?) pinnate, passing into a pinnatifid apex. Stipes with black 

 subulate scales at the base. Pinnules about 2 in. long and pinnatifid at the 

 base, but passing on the one hand into longer ones pinnate at the base, on 

 the other into shorter more entii'e ones. Veins pinnate, with few branches, 

 not anastomosing with -adjoining sets. Sori usually short, not on all the vein- 

 branches in the Hongkong specimens, more numerous on others, simple or 

 double. — Biplasium dilafatum, Blume. 



In ravines, TJrquhart, Wilford. In Ceylon, northern and eastern India, the Archipelago, 

 and Pacific islands. 



10. A. esculentum, Presl; Hook. Spec. Fil. iii. 268. Stem stout, erect. 

 Fronds large, twice or thrice pinnate, passing into a pinnatifid apex. Ulti- 

 mate pinnides lanceolate, acuminate, usually broadly truncate at the base 

 and shortly petiolulate, the longer ones 6 in. long and deeply pinnatifid, pass- 

 ing into shorter broadly crenate ones. Veins pinnate, each set with 5 to 10 

 branches on each side; the outer ones more or less anastomosing with those of 

 the adjoining ones, thus at once distmguishing this species from A. dilatatum, 

 which the specimens sometimes resemble. Sori usually on almost all the vein- 



