PELLiEA. 145 



erect, rigid ; frond 5 inches long, subdeltoideo-ovate, coriaceous, dark brown in 

 the dry state, slightly haii7 ; frond tripinnate (in the smaller specimens bipinnate, 

 with most of the pinnules decurrent and confluent) ; the lower pinnules of the 

 primary and secondary pinn;e with an acute lobe or auricle on the upper side of 

 the base, and sometimes on the lower (showing a disposition to become pinua- 

 tifid), and then the pinnule is hastate. The lowest pinna of the lowest pair of 

 primary pinna; being longer than the rest, and a little deflexed, give a somewhat 

 pedate form to the outline of the frond. The species is remarkably distinct, and 

 correctly figured by Presl. 



21. p. consobrina, Hook. ; a span to a foot and a half high, 

 caudex short thick paleaceous, frond triangular coriaceous 

 3-pinnate glabrous, pinnules sessile (not decurrent) oblong- 

 obtuse obscurely crenulate or ovate and deeply pinnatifid 

 veined, segments oblong obtuse terminal one elongated, in- 

 volucres subintramarginal membranaceous crenato-lobate at 

 the edge, stipes long and very stout paleaceous only at the 

 very base and as well as the rachis black-purple glossy. 

 (Tab. CXVII. a.) — P. consobrina, Kze. in Linnaa, x. p. 526. 

 Pteris obscura, Boj. MS. in Herb. Hook. 



Hah. South Africa, among 3Iimosce, Key River, woods in Uitenh.ige, Ecldon. 

 Clefts of rocks in the Witbergen Mountains, Drege. Graham's Town, Atherstone. 

 Port Natal, Dr. Stanger. Madagascar, Bojer. — An authentic specimen from the 

 author satisfies me that I am correct in referring the above specimens in my 

 Herbarium, from Graham's Town, Natal, and Madagascar, to the Pteris conso- 

 brina of Kunze. They all agree in the very stout, elongated stipes, triangular, 

 decompound frond : the pinnules however vary much in size in the different sam- 

 ples. In the perfect state of the fructification the sorus is clearly intramarginal, 

 but when more advanced the patent involucre conceals that character. It may 

 be considered allied to P. hastata, which has however a different form of frond, 

 and is much less compound. Kunze compares it with Pteris (Cheilanthes, Hook.) 

 Capensis (Tab. Nostr. LXXVII. A.), but, I think, with little reason. 



**** Mostly tripinnate or decompound. 



22. P. hastata, Link; generally quite glabrous from a few 

 inches to two feet or more, caudex nodose scaly, root fibrous, 

 fronds oblong subcoriaceous opaque pinnate more frequently 

 bi-tripinnate, pinnules oval or lanceolate obtuse or acumi- 

 nated cordate or subcuneate at the base auriculate on one 

 side or hastate sessile (rarely subpetiolulate) crenulate at the 

 margin, terminal ones of the primary pinnce often the largest, 

 veins dichotomous free distinct on the under side, sori conti- 

 nuous, involucres rather narrow (in part formed of the sub- 

 stance of the leaf) membranaceous crenated and sinuated, 

 stipes more or less long scaly at the very base, and rachises 

 which are erect stiff, rarely a little sinuous, dark-purple ebe- 

 neous glossy. (Tab. CXVI. B.) — Link, Fit. in Hort. Berol. 

 p. 60. Fee, Gen. Fit. p. 129. Allosorus hastatus, Pr. Tent. 



