164 PTERI8. 



Chusan, Alexander; Hongkong, Col. Champion. Luzon, Cuming, n. 45 and 46, 

 Thomas Lobb. S. Pacific islands, Feejee, N. Hebrides, Aneiteum, al)undant, Milne, 

 Brackenridge. Tropical N. Holland, Sir Josejjh Banks. — A very variable plant it 

 must be allowed, for whereas some of our specimens have so much in common 

 with Pt. mitlilata, tliat we have been almost led to think the two might be united, 

 others are so ditferent that it would seem from them as if there coidd be no con- 

 nection between them. Among the most remarkable of these are Cuming's spe- 

 cimens from Luzon, n. 40, in which the primary pinna) (in the sterile plant) may 

 be said to be reduced to the terminal pinnules, which arc more than G inches long 

 and f of an inch broad, the two or three lower pinnules being rather auricles at 

 the base than real pinnules, and confluent with the principal one : the terminal 

 pinna of the frond is nearly 10 inches long, and much acundnated. Burmann's 

 figure above quoted is a fair representation of the type of the species. 



11. Pt. (Eupteris) mutilata, L. ; a span to a foot and more 

 high, caudex short subrepent, roots tufted, fronds 3-5 inches 

 long ovato-lanceolate acuminate submembranaceous firm pin- 

 nate, lower pinna; (rarely any superior ones) again pinnate, 

 pinnules subsessile those of the sterile fronds ^-f of an inch 

 long elliptical a little waved at the margin but entire with a 

 slender cartilaginous edge, rarely minutely denticulate towards 

 the apex often mucronate, upper ones a little decurrent, ter- 

 minal one caudate, veinlets simple or forked slightly incras- 

 sated at the apex, pinnules of the fertile fronds longer and nar- 

 rower more apart linear-lanceolate obtuse, involucre marginal 

 continuous round the apex very narrow membranaceous, sti- 

 pites slender stramineous castaneous at the base very glossy, 

 those of the fertile fronds thrice longer than the sterile ones. 

 (Tab. CXXXI. A..)— Linn. Sp. PL p. 1533. Sw. Syn. Fil. 

 p. 99. Willd. Sp. PL V. p. 378. Aff. Sp. Pterid. p. 15. Plum. 

 FiL t. 51. — /3. fertile fronds larger bipinnate, pinnules nunie- 

 rous more approximate. — Pt. concinna, Reward in Mag. of 

 Nat. Hist. N. Ser. 1838,;?. 461. 



Hab. West Indies {Sw.) ; Jamaica ( Willd.) ; Hispaniola, Plumier ; Cuba, 

 Pveppig, E. Otto, n. 65, Linden, n. 1872. — /8. Jamaica, Mr. Heward. — To me this 

 appears to be a verj- distinct species of Pteris, especially when perfect specimens 

 are seen, with the sterile and fertile fronds arising from the same plant. If PIu- 

 mier's figure a])ove quoted is to be considered the type of the species, it is much 

 larger than any individuals that have coujc under my notice, but the absence of 

 the sterile frond is to be regretted in that figure. Agardli's description is, as 

 usual, very correct ; he has not omitted to notice the white cartilaginous edge of 

 the sterile pinnules. Our tallest fertile specimen is nearly a foot and a half long, 

 and its stipes is always longer than the sterile frond, stipes included. My small- 

 est perfect specimens are a span high. It does not appear to be a frequent spe- 

 cies. I only possess it myself from Cuba, but thence from three diiJ'erent col- 

 lectors. It is distributed in Linden's collection as Pteris heferophylla, L., from 

 which it is very distinct. — We have sometimes had our doubts whether it may 

 not possibly be a form of the Indian Pt. crenata ; and if that were not exclusively 

 confined to the warm parts of the Old World, or if this were not confined to the 

 W. Indian islands, we should endeavour, and expect, to find passages from the one 



