27. ONYCHIUM. 143 



pinnce 2-3 in. ]., - in. br. when flat, or somewhat compound below, the margins 

 of the segments much incurved in the mature plant ; texture coriaceous, both 

 surfaces naked ; sori in close rows along the margins. Hie. Sp. 2. p. 119. 



Hab. South Brazil. 0. petiolata (F4e, Mem. p. 30. t. 12), which we have not seen, is 

 perhaps a small form of this species. 



3. C. gkichenioides, Gardn. ; st. 6 in. ]., stout, erect, naked, polished ; fr. 

 6-9 in. 1., bipinnate, with stalked linear pinnce 1-2 in. 1., cut down to the rachis 

 into numerous quadrangular pinnl. 1 lin. br., which are incurved and rolled 

 over the rachis, sometimes the lower branches again branched ; texture coria- 

 ceous ; sori occupying the whole margin of the segments on which they are 

 placed. Hk. Sp. 2. p. 119. Ic. PI. t. 507. 



Hab. Diamond district, Brazil, Gardner, 5295. A very distinct and peculiar plant, 

 with the habit of Eugleichenia. 



GEN. 27. ONYCHIUM, Kaulf. 



Sori placed upon a continuous linear receptacle, which connects the apices of 

 several veins. Invol. parallel with the margin of the segments, linear, opposite, 

 pressed down over the sori, the edge nearly or quite reaching the midrib. 

 TAB. III. f. 27. Unitedly Mettenius with Pteris,from which the four closely allied 

 species differ rather in the cutting of the frond and the smallness and narrowness of 

 the ultimate segments than essentially in fructification. 



1. 0. melanolepis, Decaisne ; st. tufted, 4-6 in. 1., slender, naked, straw- 

 coloured ; fr. 3-4 in. 1., 2 in. br., ovate, quadripinnatifid ; lower pinnce 1-1^ in. 1., 

 deltoid ; pinnl. deltoid, distant ; ult. divisions linear-oblong when barren, not 

 more than 1-1^ lin. 1. ; texture thinly herbaceous, both surfaces naked ; invol. 

 pale, membranaceous. Hk. Sp. 2. p\ 124. Ic. PL t. 902. 



Hab. Persia and Abyssinia. 



2. O. strictum, Kunze ; st. tufted, slender, 6-12 in. 1., naked, polished, straw- 

 coloured ; fr. 6-9 in. 1., 3-4 in. br., ovate, quadripinnatifid ; pinnce deltoid ; 

 pinnl. with a few distant segm., which are very narrow and acute, entire or once 

 or twice cleft at the apex or slightly again branched ; ult. divisions sharp- 

 pointed and very narrow ; texture herbaceous ; rachis and both surfaces naked, 

 the fertile segments larger than the others ; invol. often considerably shorter than 

 the segments on which they are placed, pale, membranaceous. Hk. Sp. 2. p. 123. 

 2nd Cent. t. 32. 



Hab. Cuba ; gathered by Linden and Wright. 



3. O. auratum, Kaulf. ; st. 6-12 in. 1., stout, erect, naked, straw-coloured or 

 pale-brown ; fr. 1 ft. or more 1., 6 in. br., ovate, quadripinnatifid ; lower pinnce 

 4-6 in. 1., subdeltoid, erecto-patent ; pinnl. and segm. numerous, usually deltoid ; 

 ult. divisions of the sterile frond often obovate-cuneate, trifid at the apex, not 

 more than 1 lin. 1., -^-j lin. br. when entire, coriaceous in texture, of the fertile 

 frond podlike. -1 in. ]., | in. br. ; rachis and both surfaces naked, the mem- 

 branous involucres and copious sori a rich golden-yellow. Hk. Sp. 2. p. 121. 

 Hk. & Gr. t. 121. 



Hab. Himalayas, ascending 5,000 ft., and Malayan Peninsula and Islands. 



4. 0. japonicum, Kunze ; st. 6-12 in. ]., stout, erect, naked, straw-coloured or 

 pale-brown ; fr. 1 ft. or more 1., 6 in. br., ovate, quadripinnatifid ; lower pinnce 

 4-6 in. 1., lanceolate-deltoid ; pinnl. and seam, numerous, usually deltoid, the 

 copious linear-mucrunate ult. divisions l|-2 fin. 1., nearly uniform in the barren 



