460 FILICES. [Brainea. 



1. B. insignis, Hook, in Kew Journ. Bot. ix. 354 ; Fil. Exot. ^.38. 

 Trunk erect, attaining 3 to 4 ft., with dark-brown scales. Fronds 2 to 3 ft. 

 or more, including the short stipes, simply pinnate. Pinnse numerous, linear- 

 lanceolate, acuminate, minutely serrate, cordate at the base, the larger barren 

 ones 4 to 6 in. long, the upper ones tapering into the pinnatifid apex, the 

 lowest also diminishing in size ; the fertile ones rather smaller and narrower. 

 Veinlets numerous and parallel, diverging from a series of arched veins along 

 the midrib. Sori either on these arched veins only or continued along the 

 veinlets. — Bowringia insignis, Hook, in Kew Journ. Bot. v. 237, t. 2. 



Hongkong, Bowring, Champion, and others. Also in Khasia. 



21. ALSOPHILA, Br. 



Sori globular, dispersed over the under surface of the frond-segments, with 

 an elevated receptacle frequently villous. Indusium none, except, in a few 

 species, a minute indistinct membrane or scale at the base of the sorus. — 

 Tree-ferns. Fronds usually large, twice or several times pinnate. Veins 

 pinnate, the branches free, simple or forked. 



A considerable tropical genus both in the New and the Old World, but the spurious spe- 

 cies have probably been much multiplied in books : for herbarium specimens are usually 

 very insufficient for exhibiting the several forms observable in the different parts of the large 

 fronds of these Tree-ferns. 



1. A. podophylla. Hook, in Kew Journ. ix. 334. Trunk 4 to 8 ft. 

 high. Fronds attaining 8 or 9 ft. in length, twice to 4 times pinnate. Stipes 

 glossy, often rough with minute raised points, the base tliick, sometimes 

 muricate and bearing long black scales. Ultimate pinnules or segments lan- 

 ceolate, acuminate, the large ones 4 to 5 in. long, sinuately toothed, truncate 

 at the iDase and shortly petiolulate, all diminishing upwards and passing into 

 the pinnatifid apex. Sori rather small, globose, scattered, the spore-cases veiy 

 closely packed. 



Hongkong, Bowring, Harland, Lorraln ; in ravines, Urquhart, Wilford. Also in Chusan. 

 Some fronds called by Wilford " young fronds," but probably the first ones of a fresh growth, 

 are simply pinnate with deeply pinnatifid pinnae. 



22. CIBOTIUM, Kaulf. 



Sori contained in a prominent coriaceous deeply 2-valved indusium, of 

 which the outer valve proceeds from the margin of the segment. — Tall Ferns 

 with twice pinnate fronds. 



A small genus, limited to eastern Asia, the Pacific islands, and west-central America, 



1. C. glaucum. Hook, and Am. ; Hook. Spec. Fil. i. 82. Fronds bipin- 

 nate, glabrous and shining on the upper side, glaucous underneath, with occa- 

 sionally a few hairs on the rhachis. Pinnules deeply pinnatifid, lanceolate, acu- 

 minate, 4 to 5 in. long, the upper ones diminishing and tapering into the 

 pinnatifid apex. Lobes or segments numerous, more or less falcate. Veins 

 simple or forked in difterent parts of the frond, or both mixed. Indusia very 

 prominent and coriaceous, usually 2 to 4 on each margin of each lobe, or some- 

 times only 1 on each side at the base. Valves concave, very nearly equal, or 

 the inner one rather narrower. — 0. glaucescens, Kunze ; Hook. Spec. Fil. 

 i. 82. C. Jssamicum, Hook. 1. c. i. 83, t. 29 B. 



