66 16. HYMENOPHYLLUM. 



terminal on the segments of both sides of the upper pinnae ; invol. divided more 

 than halfway down ; valves rounded and very hairy. Hk. Sp. \. p. 92. t. 33. B. 

 H. aequabile, Kunze. 



Hab. Guadeloupe, and mainland of S. America, from Venezuela and New Granada 

 southward to Peru. Resembling H. sericeum in habit, but much thinner in texture, and 

 the rachis winged. 



46. H. sericeum, Sw. ; st. 2-4 in. 1., wiry, naked ; fr. pendent, 6-24 in. 1., 2-3 

 in. hr., elongato-oblong, obtuse or acuminate, simply pmnatifid ; rachis densely 

 clothed with close tomentum, free throughout ; pinnae 1-2 in. ]., very numerous, 

 opposite, rhomboidal- lanceolate, with a cuneate base ani much-acuminated apex, 

 sometimes only just crenated, sometimes pinnatifid more than haiivan (!CVM> to 

 the rachis, the substance almost coriaceous and soft, with a dense coating of 

 tomeiitum ; veins prominent, forked with nearly parallel branches, and often 

 furnished with curious membranaceous wings or lamella ; sori very numerous 

 to a pinna, small, terminal on the apex of the pinnae and lateral segments; valves 

 rounded, shaggy, with strong reddish-brown hairs. Hk. Sp. 1. p. 92. 



Hab. Tropical America, from Cuba, Jamaica, and Mexico southward to Peru and 

 Brazil. A curious species, quite peculiar in habit and texture, which Van den Bosch 

 divides into eight ; viz. sericeum, eriophwum, Cubense, Sturm, plumosum, Kaulf., Karsteni- 

 anum, speciosum, asterothrix, Kunze, and tomentosum, Kunze. 



47. H. Malingii, Metten., MSS. ; st. 1-3 in. 1., slender, naked \fr. pendent, 4-6 

 in. 1., 1-l^r in br., linear-oblong, bi- or tripinnatifid ; main rachis densely clothed 

 with close tomeiitum, free throughout ; pinnae |-| in. 1., oblong or ovato-rhom- 

 boidal, cut down to a rounded rachis ; pinnl. deeply flabellately and subpin- 

 natifidly cut ; ult. segm. linear-filiform, 1-3 lin. 1., the substance coriaceous and 

 soft, with a dense coating of touientum, a single vein only in each segment ; sori 

 2 to 12 to a pinna, terminal on the segments ; invol. divided about halfway 

 down ; valves denticulate at the apex, and shaggy like the frond. Trichomanes 

 Malingii, Hk. Gard. Ferns, t. 64. 



Hab. New Zealand. The connection of this curious novelty is certainly with H. seri- 

 ceum, from which it differs principally in the total absence of a connecting membrane 

 between the veins of the pinnae, which, in one form of the South American plant, is par- 

 tially deficient. 



48. H. lineare t Swartz ; st. about 1 in. 1., slender, villose ; fr. flaccid, pendu- 

 lous, 3-8 in. 1., 1-2 in. br., linear, elongated, fully pinnate ; rachis slender, wavy, 

 villose, free throughout ; pinnce spreading, ovato-rhomboidal, deeply cut into 

 simple or forked linear lobes, the surface and margin densely hairy ; sori 2 to 6, 

 terminal on the lateral segments ; invoL about as broad as the segments ; valves 

 rounded, strongly ciliated. H. elegans, Spr. Hk. Sp. 1. p. 91. H. trifidum, 

 Ilk. & Gr. Ic. Fil. t. 196. H. pendulum, Bory. 



Hab. Tropical America, from Jamaica and Mexico southward to Brazil and Peru, 

 ascending on the Andes of Ecuador to 12,000 ft., and occurring also in the Mauritius, 

 from which we have just received specimens from Dr. Meller. This species is very flaccid 

 in habit, and the long narrow fronds form densely interlaced masses on rocks and trees. 

 Van den Bosch gives the three plants already named as distinct, and his procerum, tricho- 

 phyllum, Crugeri, and Moritzianum are also included here. 



49. H. elegantulum, V. D. B. ; st. 1-4 in. 1., slender, ciliated ; fr. flaccid, pen- 

 dulous, fi-18 in. ]., 2-6 in. br., linear-oblong and pinnate, or broadly oblong and 

 bipinnate ; rachis wavy, villose, free throughout ; lower pinnce in the bipinnate 

 form often with several pairs of pinnules ; pinnl. 1-3 in. 1., deeply pinnatifid 

 principally on the upper side ; ult. segm. 1-2 lin. 1., 1 lin. br., the 'surface and 

 margin densely hairy ; sori 6 to 12, terminal on the lateral segments ; invol. sunk 



