LONCHITIS. 66 



1. O. pollens (Tab. LXXVII. B.), J. Sra. Gen. Ferns, p. 

 46.— Adiantum pallens, Sw. Syn. Fil. p. 125 et 323. Willd. 

 Sp. PL V. p. 453. Cheilanthes clavallioides, Bory^ in Willd. 

 Sp. PL V. p. 461. 



Hab. Mauritius, Grcen(lal{Sw.) and others. — Bojer states that it is found 

 in Madagascar. Swartz, at p. 125 of his ' Species Filicum,' gives " Mau- 

 ridus?'' with a mark of doubt of its native country, and " Chusan'' without 

 any question ; the latter apparently upon the authority of a most unsatis- 

 factory figure in Plukenet's ' Amallh. IBot.' of a " Filix Adianto nigro offi- 

 cinar. similis, pediculo viridi, pinnulis magis eleganter incisis ; ex insula 

 Cheusan, tab. 403, f. 2.'' We have received many ferns from China of late, 

 and particularly from Chusan, but this species was never among them, and 

 we doubt if it is found there at all. Our copious specimens from different 

 individuals are entirely from Mauritius, and it is probably peculiar to that 

 country, unless Bojer should be correct in giving Madagascar. — Stipes 2 

 feet long ; frond about equal in length with the stipes. 



3. LoNCHiTis, Linn. 



Lonchitidis sp. L. et Auct. 



Sori marginal, situated in the sinuses of the segments of 

 the frond, oblong or linear, reniform or lunate, situated at the 

 apex of several converging veinlets. Involucre more or less 

 elongated, of the same shape with the sorus, membranous, 

 scariose, formed of a reflexed but changed portion of the 

 frond, covering (while young) but not bearing the capsules. — 

 Ferns of Mauritius, Madagascar, the Cape, and S. America. 

 Rhizoma siihglohose. Fronds Jascic led, large, suhmembrana- 

 ceous, hi- tripinnate, the pinnae slnuato-pinnatifid : the 

 sinuses only soriferous. Veins anastomosing* and forming 

 very irregular hexagons, several veinlets uniting at the sinus 

 to bear the sorus. 



Obs. Notwithstanding that the fructification resembles that of Cheilanthes, 

 and especially that of Hi/polepis ; yet the species are widely distinct in ha- 

 bit from those two genera : and, in conjunction with the reticulated frond, 

 may well be allowed to remain as a genus. It would indeed be a reticu- 

 lated Pteris (or Litobrochia) but for the short sori : and hence the L. hir- 

 suta, Lin. (not of Sieber) of the West Indies, though with the fructification 

 o{ Lonchitis, chiefly confined to the sinus of the lobules, is now transferred 

 to Pteris, on account of pinnato-furcale venation. In Lonchitis, if I may 



* From the costa or midrib on the pinnules, parallel pinnated veins di- 

 verge, corresponding with a lobe at the margin, these veins are connected 

 by a veinlet running parallel with the midrib and at a little distance from 

 it, forming a number of transversely oblong areols ; all between these are- 

 ola and the margin is more or less closely reticulated. 



