AUSTRALIAN FEENS 59 



by that eminent writer, not more than two of the species can be 

 retained. Indeed Sir William seems to suggest that D. blech- 

 noides may prove a mere variety of D. aspera, and that D. media 

 and D. caudata are probably the same species. The late William 

 Sharp Macleay, Esq., F.L.S., used to take a pleasure in speaking 

 of a Doodia found at the Kurrajong by Miss Atkinson, as D. 

 Atkinsonia ; but Dr. F. Mueller, to whom I have submitted spe- 

 cimens of this remarkable variety, refers it to D. caudata. Some 

 sterile forms of this resemble Lomaria Patersoni, but of course 

 the venation is very different. Doodia is very common in E. 

 Australia. 



As some of my readers may feel an interest in the opinions 

 recently expressed by Dr. F. Mueller in reference to the order 

 Lomariete, I shall subjoin a brief account of the species, as 

 arranged by that learned writer. L. procera is referred to L. 

 capensis, and it is said to extend from St. Vincent's Gulf to Rock- 

 ingham Bay, and to occur even- on the tops of mountains. L. 

 discolor or L. falcata, which is the commonest form on our Par- 

 ramatta creeks, is also very widely diffused ; and at the source of 

 Bunip Bunip Creek, the Doctor found a bipinnatifid variety of 

 the same species, whilst Mr. Boyle collected on the Dandenong 

 mountains some fronds with pinnatifid and pinnatipartite pinnae. 

 L. Vulcanica has not yet been found on the Australian continent, 

 although occurring in many parts of Tasmania ; but L. lanceolata 

 has been collected in several places in Victoria. L. alpina grows 

 near water on the Australian Alps, and L. fluviatilis in South 

 Australia, Delatite, and Upper Mitta Mitta. Brown's specimens 

 were procured in Tasmania, but whether this species is really 

 distinct from the New Zealand L. membranacea, remains to be 

 seen. Dr. Mueller alludes to the three forms of L. Patersoni, 

 and states that it has a wide geographical range, being found on 

 various parts of the coast from Victoria to Buckingham Bay, and 

 also in New Zealand, the islands in the Oriental Archipelago, 

 and Continental India. L. eximia is a new species, allied to L. 

 capensis, and occurring near Buckingham Bay. L. articulata is 

 also new, and is accurately described in the fifth volume of Dr. 

 Mueller's Fragmenta, p. 187. This fern was found at the source 

 of the Mackay Biver, and it is distinguished from other species 

 by the pinna3 being articulated to the rachis, and from L. capensis 



