458 FILICES. [Poll/podium. 



1. P. Wightianum, JF'all. Catal. n. 2222. Rhizome shortly creeping. 

 Fronds linear-lanceolate and acuminate, or rarely linear and obtuse, from 1 

 to 2 in. long in some specimens, near 8 in. in others, narrowed into a short 

 stipes, thick, with immersed inconspicuous reticulate veins. Son in a single 

 row on each side of the midrib, large and sometimes occupying nearly the 

 whole breadth from the margin to the midrib ; in other specimens the frond 

 is tliinner and broader in proportion to the sori. When young the spore-cases 

 are concealed under several peltate scales, which soon disappear. — Pleopeltis 

 nuda. Hook. Exot. M. t. 63 ; Gen. Pil. t. 18. Drynaria subspathulata. Hook, 

 in Kew Jom*n. Bot. ix. 356. 



Hongkong, Harland. Common on the Chinese coast and extends all over India, and 

 northward to Japan. 



2. P. hymenodes. Wall. Catal. n. 283. Rhizome creeping. Fronds 

 simple, lanceolate, .5 to 9 in. long in the Hongkong specimens, narrowing into 

 a stipes of 1 to 3 in., obtuse or acuminate, f to 1 j in. broad, glabrous, rather 

 thick ; the pinnate and reticulate veins immersed and inconspicuous. Sori 

 rather large, distinct, in 3, 4, or rarely 5 longitudinal row^s on each side of the 

 midi'ib, (3, 4, or 5 in each obliquely transverse row). 



On rocks in a ravine, Wilford. In northern and eastern India, in China, and northward 

 to Corea. It is not unlikely that this and the preceding species may be both refei'able to 

 some older published Indian or Javanese ones, but the genus FoJypodium is at present in too 

 great confiision to ascertain the synonymy without a general revision. 



3. P. adnascens, Sw.; TFilld. Spec. v. 145. Ehizome slender, creep- 

 ing, with lanceolate, ciliate, or fringed scales. Fronds simple, entire, thick 

 and coriaceous, more or less covered, especially on the under side, with mi- 

 nute stellate scales or haii's. BaiTcn ones oblong, very obtuse, -f to 1^ in. 

 long, on a stipes sometimes veiy short, rarely \ in. long. Fertile fronds linear, 

 obtuse, 3 to 5 in. long, covered from about the middle or from rather lower 

 down to the apex with numerous closely packed small sori, arranged in oblique 

 rows, occupying the whole interval from the midrib to the margin, and sepa- 

 rated from each other by dense stellate hairs or scales. — NipJiobolus adnascens, 

 Kaulf. ; Sm. in Seem. Bot. Her. 425. Polypodium pertusum,^oxh.; Hook. 

 Exot. Fl. t. 162. NipJiobolus carnosus,'B\\m\e.; and N. pe?iusus, Spreng. ; 

 Hook, in Kew Joura. Bot. ix. 355. 



Common in ravines, Hinds, Champion, and others. In Ceylon, the Indian Peninsula, and 

 Bengal. 



4. P. Lingua^ Sic; TFilld. Spec. v. 162. Very near the last, with the 

 same habit and indumentum, but the fronds are usually larger, oblong or ob- 

 long-lanceolate, more or less narrow^ed towards the apex, the fertile ones fully 

 as broad as the barren and usually longer, covered from the base with closely 

 serried sori, except in a few imperfectly fruiting fronds, where they generally 

 fail at the top as well as the base. The fronds vary from 1 to 5 in. in length. 

 — Acrostichwn Lmgua, Thunb. Fl. Jap. t. 33. 



Appears to be equally common with the last, being sent with it in most collections from 

 the island. Also on the Chinese continent and in Japan. 



5. P. tridactylon. Wall.; Hook, and Grev. Tc. Til. t. 209. Rhizome 

 creeping. Fronds 3 to 8 in. long, naiTow^ed into a stipes of 1 to 3 in., some- 

 times lanceolate and entire, but more frequently divided into 3 lanceolate lobes. 



