31. PTERIS, EUPTERIS. 157 



16. P. semipinnata, Linn. ; st. 1 ft. or more 1., strong, erect, naked, bright 

 chesnut-brown ; fr. 12-18 in. 1., 6-9 in. br., ovate-lanceolate, the upper part 

 cut down nearly to the rachis into numerous close entire linear lobes, 

 the largest of which are 1^-3 n. 1., J-^ in. br., the lower two-thirds with 

 6 or 8 pairs of opposite distantly-placed pinnce, the largest of which are 

 3-0 in. 1., with a long linear entire point, and a broad entire wing on the 

 upper side of the rachis, but the lower side with several linear pinnl. 1-2 in. 1., 

 J in. br. ; texture scarcely coriaceous, barren segm. finely serrated ; rachis and 

 both surfaces naked ; veins simple or once forked, in. apart at the base ; invol. 

 membranous. Hk. Sp. 2. p. 169. Gard. F. t. 59. (3, P. dispar, Kunze ; pinnae 

 more or less pinnate on the upper side also. 



Hab. Himalayas (ascending to 3-4,000 ft.), to Ceylon, S. E. China, Japan, the Philip- 

 pines, and Borneo. The two forms look very different when typical, but are connected 

 by intermediates. 



17. P. paucinervata, Fee ; st. about 1 ft. 1., erect, naked, reddish-brown ; fr. 

 (in our specimen) with a terminal pinna and a single unbranched lateral one on 

 each side, the former broadly lanceolate, 9 in. 1., 4 in. br. below, cut down nearly 

 to the rachis into linear oblong slightly falcate lobes, which are decurrent at the 

 base and bluntly crenate towards the point, the largest 2 in. 1., \ in. br. ; lot. 

 pinnae similar but smaller ; rachis and both surfaces naked ; texture sub- 

 coriaceous ; veins fine, once or occasionally twice forked, the lower ones in. 

 to 2 lin. apart at the base ; sori continued nearly to the apex of the lobes. Hk. 

 Sp. 2. p. 194. 



Hab. Mexico. This and the next species have quite the habit of quadriaurita, but the 

 venation seems to distinguish them. 



18. P. litobrochioides, Klotzsch ; st. strong, erect, naked, bright chesnut- 

 brown ; fr. 2 ft. 1., 18 in. br., the terminal pinna 1 ft. or more 1., 2-3 in br., cut 

 down within a short distance of the rachis into numerous spreading linear 

 entire lobes, 1-1^ in. 1., ^ in. or more br., the lower sinuses rounded ; lateral 

 P'innce 3 or 4 on each side, similar to the terminal one, erecto-patent, the lowest 

 3 to 4 in. distant at the base, all unbranched in our specimens ; texture 

 coriaceous ; rachis and both surfaces naked ; veins conspicuous, once forked, 

 1 lin. apart at the base ; sori reaching nearly to the apex of the lobes. Hk, Sp. 

 2. p. 178. 



Hab. Gathered by Sir R. Schomburgk in British Guiana, and Dr. Spruce in the Amazon 



Valley. 



**** Bipinnatce. Lowest pinnce at least lipinnatifid. Sp. 19-35. 



19. P. maratticefolia, Hk. ; st. stout, erect, quadrangular, deeply sulcate, glossy, 

 straw-coloured ; fr. ample, bipinnate, the upper part simply pinnate, with 

 several linear lobes which are slightly decurrent at the base, prominently 

 serrated towards the point, the longest 4 in. 1., ^ in. br. : lower pinnce 6-12 in. 1., 

 pinnate, with numerous similar lobes on both sides a ,d again compound with 

 smaller pinnl. on both sides at the base ; texture scarcely coriaceous ; rachis and 

 both surfaces naked ; veins usually once forked, ^ in. apart at the base ; sori not 

 reaching to the apex of the lobes. Hk. Sp. 2. p. 177. t. 122. B. P. flexuosa, 

 Mett. P. semiadnata, Phiiippi. 



Hab. Chili and Chiloe. A very distinct species, easily recognizable by its large distinct 

 pinnules, of which only the lowest of the basal pinnae are again compound. 



20. P. Dalhousice, Hk. ; st. strong, erect, about 1 ft. high, polished, naked, 

 light-brown; fr. 2-3 ft. 1., 12-18 in. br., tri- or quadripinnatifid ; upper pinnce 

 linear, unbranched, decumnt down to the next pair, lower ones sometimes 

 1 ft. 1., deltoid ; pinnl. with simple or occasionally with branched linear segm. y 



