38. ASPLENIUM, DIPLAZIUM. 233 



Hab. Mauritius, Fernando Po, Neilgherries, Ceylon, Malayan Peninsula, Java, Borneo, 

 Samoa. Of forms included here differing slightly from the type, the Malayan A. Prescott- 

 ianum, Wall., has the pinnae rather more deeply lobed towards the base in the lower 

 part of the frond ; the Ceylonese A. elatum, Mett. (C. P. 1349), and a similar plant from 

 the Sandwich Islands and Borneo, have them lobed throughout to a depth of \ in., the 

 lobes subangular and toothed ; D. prolifcrum, Brack., from Tahiti, is said to have oblong- 

 lanceolate bluntly-serrated pinnae, auricled on the upper and truncate on the lower sicfe 

 at the base ; and we cannot separate clearly the American A. Ottonis and mutilum. 



'** Pinnae more deeply lobed, generally from half to two-thirds of the way down to 

 the rachis in the lower part. Sp, 218-235. 



238. A. (Dipl.) Wichurce, Mett. ; rhizome firm, wide-creeping ; st. J-^ in. 

 apart, 6-12 in. 1., stramineous, slightly scaly at the base ; fr. 1 ft. or more 1., 

 6-8 in. br., with numerous pinnae on each side, the lower ones stalked, 3-4 in. 1., 

 -|-f in. br., the point acuminate, the edge toothed, sometimes lobed, auricled near 

 the base on the upper side, obliquely truncate on the lower side ; texture her- 

 baceous ; veins pinnate in the lobes ; sori not reaching the edge. Mett. Fil. Ind. 2. 

 p. 237. 



Hab. Japan. Very near the next in size and cutting, but the rhizome decumbent 

 and elongated. 



219. A. (Dipl.) arboreum, Willd. ; st. tufted, 6-9 in. 1., firm, erect, greyish, 

 scaly below ; fr. 12-18 in. 1., 6-8 in. br., with numerous pinnae on each side, 

 the lower ones stalked, 3-4 in. 1., ^-f in. br., the point acute or acuminate, the 

 edge bluntly but not deeply lobed, except at the base on the upper side, where 

 there is either a distinct auricle or a lobe, which sometimes reaches down to 

 the rachis, the lower side narrower than the upper, and very obliquely trun- 

 cate at the base ; texture herbaceous ; veins pinnate in the lobes ; sori falling 

 considerably short of the edge. Hk. Sp. 3. p. 246. D. auriculatum, Kaulf. 



Hab. West Indies and Venezuela. Willdenow named this under a wrong impression 

 as to the habit, which is not arboreous. It comes very near the next, but is less deeply 

 lobed and more distinctly auriculate. 



220. A. (Dipl.) Shepherdi, Spreng. ; st. tufted, 1 ft. 1., firm, erect, greenish, 

 scaly below ; fr. 12-18 in. 1., 6-9 in. br., with numerous pinnae on each side, 

 the lower ones stalked, 4-6 in. 1., 1-1^ in. br., the point acuminate, the edge 

 lobed above, the lobes at the base sometimes reaching down to the rachis, j in. br., 

 and somewhat toothed : texture herbaceous ; colour bright-green ; rachis rather 

 slender, greenish, naked ; veins pinnate in the lobes ; sori long, linear, not reach- 

 ing the edge. A. striatum, Linn. Herb.,Hk. Sp. 3. p. 245. /3, A. incequilaterum, 

 Mett. ; texture firm, colour duller ; pinnce much acuminated ; the lobes deeper, 

 more uniform and falcate, the two sides unequal, the lower one unequally trun- 

 cate at the base. A. Schiedei, Mett. y, A. caracasanum, Willd. ; habit slender ; 

 texture herbaceous ; lobes deep, narrow, bluntly toothed ; sori in rows distant 

 from the midrib, touching the edge. D. chlororachis, Kze. 



Hab. Cuba and Mexico to Peru and S. Brazil. The application of the name striatum, 

 founded on two vague figures of Plumier, is so various, that it seems best to discontinue 

 it. D. coarctatum, Link, from Brazil, differs only from our typical plant by its less 

 deeply lobed pinnae, the upper ones being subentire, with some of the sori reaching from 

 the midrib nearly to the edge. 



221. A. (Dipl.) semihastatum, Kze. ; st. 6-9 in. ]., slender, naked, greenish; 

 fr. 6-9 in. 1., 3-4 in. br., the apex pinnatitid, only the lower part pinnate ; most 

 of the pinnce simple, oblong, and auricled, the lowest stalked, and 1 in. below 

 the next, 2 in. 1., 1 in. br., the point blunt, the edge toothed and cut down nearly 

 or quite to the rachis into spathulate pinnl. ; texture herbaceous ; rachis slender, 



2 G 



