CHKILANTHES. 79 



Hab. Mexico, Hcenhe. Rio Grande de Lerma, Galeotti, n. 6442. On 

 rocks and walls in the temperate regions of Mexico, Siebold, in Ilcrh. nostr. 

 — To this plant Presl hrings as synonynics the Pteris argyrophylla, Willd., 

 and Pt. arjientea, Bory, "fide plants Boryanee in Herb. VVilld., " which 

 are the sanie as our Ch.farinosa, (Pteris, F'ursk.) Martens and Galeotti, 

 ignorant of Presl's name for it, figure and describe it (not very satisfacto- 

 rily) under that of Ch. Candida, and they add the remark, "species proxinia 

 Ch. farinosa;. Hook, et Grev., sed in hac pinnaB nee pinnata nee profunde 

 pinnatifidae." We have never seen the ordinary state of Ch. farinosa, with 

 the copious pure white purverulcut substance beneath, from Mexico : but 

 Mr. J. Smith and myself possess from Galeotti (Oaxaca, n. 6551) what ex- 

 actly corresponds with our var. ^. of Ch.farinosa : so that there is good 

 reason to believe that that species and its varieties may be found in the New 

 as well as the Old World. Kunze does not allow that the "fig. I, a" be- 

 longs to Martens and Galeotti's plant : but it is probably as faithful as 

 most of the other magnified figures of those authors. Presl, in his ' lleli- 

 quias Haenkeanae,' observes of this plant, "Habitus Pteridis, sed pro specie 

 Pteridis non agnosco, quia indusium non continuum sed squameeforme, et 

 tot quantum son : '' yet in his 'Tentamen Pteridilogije' he refers it to Pte- 

 ris (AUosorus). Kunze contends for its being a true Cheilantkes. The fact 

 is, the involucres resemble those of other species of this genus in being some- 

 times squamaeform and distinct : sometimes combined and continuous. 



5. Ch. rufa, Don ; roots tufted, stipites rather short with 

 few spreading scales and shaggy as is the whole rachis with 

 very copious spreading ferruginous hairs, fronds about a span 

 long ovato-lanceolate subcoriaceous hirsuto-pubescent above, 

 white and pulverulent beneath, the margin densely ferrugineo- 

 hirsute pinnate pinnatifid at the apex, pinnae oblong very ob- 

 tuse pinnatifid, the lower ones subovate sub-bipinnatifid, invo- 

 lucres dark brown membranaceous approximate and free or 

 continuous and waved and crisped or lobed and toothed at 

 the margin often quite concealed by the copious ferruginous 

 tomentose shaggy hairs. Don, Prodr. Fl. Nep. p. 18. (Tab. 

 XCIX. A.) Ch. farinosa, var. vestita. Wall. Cat. «. 71, (4). 



Hab. Mareko, Nepal, Dr. Wallich. Rocks, Mergui, Mishmee and 

 Khasya, Griffith. Simla, Edgeicorth. — In none of the numerous states of 

 Ch. farinosa, do I find anything approaching to hairiness : in the present 

 plant, from four different localities, the shaggy copious ferruginous hair, 

 long spreading on the stipes and main rachis, quite crisped and woolly at 

 the margin of the frond, is quite a remarkable feature. The fronds, too, 

 are less divided, in the lower pinna) especially, but on this character very 

 little dependance can be placed. In other respects, and especially in the 

 white pulverulent under surface (though often quite concealed by the hai- 

 riness) the plant resembles some states of Ch. farinosa. — Here are, at any 

 rate, tangible characters, if constant. Original specimens, given by Mr. 

 Don to Mr. J. Smith, show this to be intended for his Ch. rufa. 



