34. BLECHNUM, EUBLECIINUM. 185 



*** Fronds pinnate. Sp. 7-17. 



7. B. longifolium, H. B. K. ; rhizome slender, creeping ; st. firm, erect, nearly- 

 naked, 6-12 in. 1. ; fr. with a terminal pinna and 3-6 lateral ones on each side, 

 which are 3-5 in. 1., ^ in. hr., narrowed gradually towards the point, narrowed 

 or even slightly stalked and then cordate at the base, the lower ones about 1 in. 

 apart ; texture coriaceous ; rachis and both surfaces naked ; veins inconspicuous ; 

 sort in broad lines close to the midrib. Hk. Sp. 3. p. 49. t. 94. (3, B.fraxineum, 

 Willd. ; habit more robust ; pinnae 6-8 on a side, sometimes 1 in. br. B. Schli- 

 mense, Fee. 



Hab. Tropical America from Mexico and the West Indies southward to Brazil and 

 Peru. B. gracile, Kaulf., appears to differ from the type only by its rather more slender 

 habit, and B. intermedium, Link, is more slender still, and may possibly belong to 

 species 1. The veins occasionally form costal arches, as is the case also in B. unilaterale 

 and australe. 



8. B. Fendleri, Hk. ; rhizome slender, wide-creeping ; st. 9 in. 1., slender, pale 

 straw-coloured, slightly villose above ; fr. subdeltoid, 4-6 in. 1., 3 in. br., with a 

 linear terminal pinna and 3-4 pair of spreading subfalcate lateral ones, which are 

 2-3 in. 1., |- in. or rather more br., with an acute point, the lower ones auricled 

 at the base, quite adnate but not connected with one another ; texture herba- 

 ceous ; rachis villose and both surfaces slightly so ; veins fine, forming a series of 

 costal arches halfway up the pinnae ; sori in continuous lines close to the midrib, 

 with a pale broad membranous slightly villose involucre. Hk. Sp. 3. p. 48. 

 t. 158. 



Hab. Venezuela, Fendler, 116. Brazil, Bwchell, 6460. This .has quite the general 

 habit of the preceding, of which it is not unlikely a form with more slender habit and 

 more anastomosing venation. 



9. B. occidentale, Linn. ; caud. stout, erect, clothed at the crown with lan- 

 ceolate acuminate scales ; st. 6-12 in. 1., erect, scaly below ; fr. ovate-acuminate, 

 9-18 in. 1., 4-8 in. br., with 12-24 linear pinnce on each side, which are 3-6 in. 1., 

 f-f in. br., narrowed gradually to a point, truncate or cordate or even auricled 

 at the base, the lower ones often 1 in. apart, and the lowest pair deflexed and not 

 much less than the rest ; texture coriaceous ; rachis and both surfaces naked or 

 slightly pubescent ; veins inconspicuous ; sori in a broad continuous line close to 

 the midrib. HJc. Sp. 3. p. 50. 



Hab. America, common from Mexico and W. Indies southward to Chili and S. Brazil. 

 B. pectinatum, Hk. Ic. PI. t. 95, is a form with narrow pinnse dilated, and most of 

 them connected, at the base, and L. campylotis, Kunze, a form with a distinct acute 

 auricle at the base of the pinnae on the upper side. 



10. B. arcuatwn, C. Gay ; caud. stout, suberect, densely clothed at the crown 

 with lanceolate acuminate* dark-brown scales; st. 6-12 in. 1., strong, erect, scaly 

 at the base ; fr. 12-18 in. 1., 1^-2 in. br., linear-lanceolate, with very numerous 

 contiguous linear-lanceolate falcate pinnae on each side, which are f in. 1., by 

 under \ in. br. below, gradually narrowed upwards, hastately auricled on the 

 upper side, quite distinct at the base, but sometimes imbricated, gradually 

 diminishing downwards to mere auricles ; texture rigid and very coriaceous ; 

 rachis and both surfaces naked ; veins immersed ; sori in a continuous line close 

 to the midrib. Hk. Sp. 3. p. 59. B. acuminatum, Sturm, non Fee. 



Hab. Chili and Chiloe. A more rigid plant than the last, with a narrower frond 

 narrowing gradually downwards. 



11. B. hastatum, Kaulf. ; caud. short, stout, scaly ; st. erect, 4-6 in. 1., nearly 

 naked ; fr. 12-18 in. L, 2-4 in. br., lanceolate, with 20-40 pinnce on each side, 

 the sterile ones 1-1^ in. 1., J-| in. br., lanceolate, falcate, narrowed gradually to 



2 A 



