181 



n. 253 and 413, var. seiigera, pinnae narrow, long-caudate, sjiinules on the ra- 

 chises co()ious, and seta? on tlie costa; of all the segments, stipes and main rachis 

 rough (Tab. CXXXV. A). This is remarkable for the copious spinules on the 

 rachises of the pinnae, and the lesser ones or setre on all the costfc of the seg- 

 ments. It is the P(. aspei-ula, J. Sm., name oidy, in Hook. Journ. of 13ot. iii. 

 p. 405. China, Hongkong, Scemann, n. 2384. In India a not uncommon form 

 of the species now under consideration has been named by Dr. Wallich (Cat. 

 n. 104) Pt. suhquinata, and retained as such by Agardh, Sp. Gen. Pterid. p. 21 ; 

 but it is simply a small and broadstate of Pt. quadriaurita, with few (5-8 or 

 10) pinnae, gradually however passing into the more copiously pinnated states. 

 We have such from Nepal, Kumaon, Strachey and Winterhottom, n. 5, 3000 feet 

 elev., and Dr. Wallich, Pt. Grevilleana, Wall. Cat. n. 2680, Ag. Sp. Gen. Pterid. 

 p. 23 (pinnas 3-5). Bhotan, Griffith; with this are specimens having only three 

 pinnas, and others with simply a lanceolate, pinnatiiid frond, yet bearing copious 

 fructitications. Island of Bonin {Imp. Acad. Petersb.). 



Africa. — Senegambia, Heudelot. Fernando Po, Dr. Vogel, Capt. Trotter's 

 Niger Ejrpedition, Mr. Barter in Dr. Baikie's Second Niger Expedition, 1857 (the 

 prototypes of this in almost everything but the venation, Pt. (Campteria) nemo- 

 ralis and biaurita, are also sent from tropical Africa). Madagascar, Dr. Lyall 

 (Pt. pyrophylla, Bl., according to Agardh). 



Pacific Islands. — Abundant in Feejee, Solomon's group, and adjacent islands, 

 Macgillivray and Milne, in Denharns Voyage of the Herald; but all the nume- 

 rous specimens are dark, rather bright green, the stipites and main rachises black, 

 and very glossy ; it is probably included in the " Pt. nemoralis, Willd.," of Brack- 

 enridge's Filices of the United States Exploring Expedition. Dr. Harvey's speci- 

 mens, which he gathered in the Feejee Islands, are similar, but with the stipes 

 and main rachises castaneous. 



Tropical America. — Jamaica, Macfadyen, large membranaceous pinnae very 

 deeply pinnatitid, Pt. Blumeana of Ag. Sp. Gen. Pterid. p. 23 (the specimen from 

 Jamaica). Blue Mountains, Purdie, stout, firm, rigid, \nnnx numerous, acuminate, 

 not caudate. Mexico, Liebmann (Pt. nemoralis, iie^ijw.), Galeotti, n. 6291 (Pt. 

 nemoralis major, Mart, et Gal. Fil. Mex. p. 53). Quebrada of Huanacabra, 

 Peru, Mathews, n. 982, very large, frond nearly 3 feet long, with numerous pinnae, 

 8-10 inches long. Guatemala, G. U. Skinner, Esq., common East Indian form. 

 Coyba, Panama, Seemann, n. 48, caudate pinnae and segments broad, less deeply 

 pinnatitid than usual ; Boquete, Panama, common form, but large, Seemann, n, 

 1119. Tablaso, N. Granada, Hollon, n. 51. Venezuela, Moritz, Fendler, n. 103, 

 Linden, common forms. Caracas, Birschell (same as from Jamaica). Minas 

 Geraes, Brazil, Gardner, n. 5302 (same as the preceding). 



The Fern here referred to Pt. quadriatirita is that which Agardh ascertained 

 to be so by an inspection of the original plant in the Retzian Herbarium ; but 

 it is clear that this has been by many botanists considered to be the Pt. nemoralis 

 of Willdenow, or the Pt. biaurita, L. Presl and others have shown that the lat- 

 ter author, in his herbarium, has confounded two species, and indeed in Presl's 

 views two genera {Camptei'ia and true Pleris), under that name. The Campteria 

 Agardh has no doubt correctly referred to Pt. biaurita, L. Pt. nemoralis he re- 

 tains, and places next to our Ft. quadriaurita, with characters however which 

 would seem to combine these two species (or genera), and my own investigations 

 would lead to this conclusion.''' — See our Pt. (Campteria.') nemoralis. 



* Rather than add needlessly to the array of synonyms under Pt. quadriaurita, 

 or appear to treat lightly the views of one so experienced in the study of Ferns 

 as Mr. J. Smith. I here give in a note his character of a Pteris long known to 

 him and long cultivated in the gardens of Kew under the name of 



Pt. (Eupteris) /e^osma, J. Sm. ; " fronds pinnate, pinnae sessile lanceolate deeply 

 VOL. II. 2 B 



