31. PTERIS, AMPHIBLESTRA. 173 



serrated when barren ; lateral pinnae in numerous closely-placed nearly opposite 

 pairs, 6-9 in. ]., 1-1^ in. br., with numerous lobes similar to those of the terminal 

 one ; lateral divisions of thefr. like the terminal one, but smaller ; texture thick, 

 coriaceous, both surfaces and the glossy straw-coloured rachis naked, or nearly- 

 so ; veins fine, inconspicuous ; sori continuous, falling short of the apex of the 

 segm.Ilk. Sp. 2. p. 227. Gard. F. t. 55. L. camptocarpa, Fee. Hk. Sp. 2. 

 p. 229. (3, P. setifera, Fee ; pinnce smaller ; segm. narrower and sharper. 

 Hk. Sp. 2. p. 224. 



Hab. Mexico and West Indies southward to the Andes of Ecuador. In texture this 

 is most like P. deflexa and coriacea, with which it agrees in its tripartite habit. A plant 

 from Java, sent by De Vriese without name, may be identical with P. setifera. 



85. P. (Lito.) Kunzeana, Agardh ; st. 3 ft. 1., strong, erect, naked, polished, 

 straw-coloured or reddish-brown, muricated below ; fr. ample ; terminal pinna 

 1 ft. 1., 3 in. br., cut down two-thirds of the way to the rachis into numerous 

 linear sharp-pointed falcate lobes, which are slightly spinuloso-serrated when 

 barren ; lateral pinnce in numerous nearly opposite pairs, the lower ones stalked, 

 equalling or exceeding the terminal one in size and similarly pinnatipartite, the 

 lowest pair large, deltoid, compound below, with smaller similar pinnl. ; texture 

 coriaceous ; rachis and both surfaces naked ; veins anastomosing copiously ; sori 

 falling short of the apex of the segm. Hk. /Sp. 2. p. 221. t. 139. 



Hab. Tropical America, from West Indies and Ecuador southward to Peru. This is 

 united by Dr, Grisebach with podophylla, but seems saisfactorily distinct. The pinnae 

 are very much larger, so that there is sometimes a space of fully in. between their 

 sinuses and the rachis. I gather from one of Dr. Spruce's notes, that this also is 

 tripartite in habit, and cannot from the descriptions and authenticated specimens dis- 

 tinguish P. longibracteata, Ag., which has equally large pinnae and segments. 



86. P. (Lito.) elata, Agardh ; st. 2-3 ft. 1., erect, naked, glossy, straw-coloured; 

 fr. ample, tripartite; terminal pinna 12-18 in. 1., cut down nearly or quite to the 

 rachis into numerous linear lobes on both sides, which are 3-5 in. 1., ^ in. or 

 more br., spinuloso-serrated when barren ; upper lot. pinnce 6 in. 1., not cut 

 down to the rachis ; lower ones equalling in size and cutting the terminal one, 

 the lateral divisions of the frond deltoid, 2-3 ft. 1. ; texture subcoriaceous ; raehis 

 and both surfaces naked ; veins fine, anastomosing copiously ; sori falling short 

 of the points of the segments. Hk. Sp. 2. p. 223. 



Hab. Tropical America from Panama southward to Ecuador. 



87. P. (Lito.) gigantea, Willd. ; st. 2-3 ft. 1., stout, erect, naked, polished ; fr. 

 tripartite ; terminal pinna 1 ft. 1., 3 in. br., cut down to a broadly-winged rachis 

 into numerous linear falcate lobes, which are a little bluntly toothed when 

 barren ; lot. pinnce numerous, the largest often 18 in. 1., 4 in. br., the largest 

 pinnl. nearly 2 in. 1., more than ^ in. br. ; lot. divisions 2 ft. 1., deltoid ; texture 

 subcoriaceous ; rachis and both surfaces naked ; veins fine, anastomosing 

 copiously ; sori falling short of the apex of the segments. Hk. Sp. 2. p. 217. 

 P. crassipes, Ag. Hk. I. c. 



Hab. West Indies and Columbia southward to Peru. 



Amphiblestra, Presl. Veins copiously anastomosing, with free included 

 veinlets. Sp. 84. TAB. III. f. 31 . i. 



88. P. (Amphi.) latifolia, H.B. K. ; fr. 1-2 ft. L, with a large terminal and a 

 pair of lateral pinnce, the former with an oblong-triangular sinuated acuminated 

 apex and two spreading lanceolate lateral lobes, the lateral ones sometimes 

 1 ft. L, 2 in. br., nearly entire ; texture herbaceous ; principal veins nearly 

 parallel, about 1 in. apart. Hk. Sp. 2. p. 233. 



Hab. Venezuela ; gathered first by Humboldt and Bonpland. 



