PTERIS. 216 



thick rooting, fronds deltoid-ovate 1-2 feet long firm-niem- 

 branaceous dark green bipinnate, pinnae generally opposite 

 broad-lanceolate (especially the sterile ones) lowest pair 

 chiefly compound pinnatifid with the lowest inferior pinnae 

 distinct simple or bipartite the rest undivided or pinnatifid 

 on the lower side, uppermost more or less confluent and 

 decurrent but not forming a narrow wing to the rachis, 

 areoles large next the rachis few between them and the 

 margin, sterile pinnae and apices of the fertile ones spinuloso- 

 serrated, stipites and rachis greenish-brown (in Sellow's 

 specimens pale straw-colour). — Raddl, Syn. Fil. n. 111. Fil. 

 Brasil. p. 47. t. 68 and 68 bis. Ag. Sp. Gen. Fil. p. 55. 

 Litobrochia Brasiliensis, Pr. 



Ilab. Brazil, extremely coiiimoii, judging from the copious specimens we have 

 received thence, and from that country alone. About Rio, Raddi, and all sulise- 

 quent botanists ; Gardner, n. 35 (all the pinnae deeply pinnatifid) and n. 34, etc. 

 South Brazil, Sellow ; Porto Alegre, Rio Grande, Mr. Fox (exhibiting much 

 affinity with Pt. denticulata); Ilhios {Moricand), San Castano, Minas Geraes, 

 Gardner (possibly Pt. denticulata). Mr. Boog (no exact locality) sends speci- 

 mens with the lowest pinnsc almost a foot long, deeply pinnatifid (the lowest 

 segments only free), with eleven large alternate lanceolate segments 4-5 inches 

 long ; and Mr. Gardner, from Minas Geraes (n. 5070) what appears to be an 

 inferior pinna of this species 1^ foot long, pinnatifid, with nineteen opposite 

 dccurrently confluent segments, one of which is 9 inches long, the apices scarcely 

 serrated. — A most variable plant, independent of its disposition to unite with the 

 following species. The larger specimens are more than 3 feet long, including the 

 .stipes, and are very handsome. 



92. Pt. (Litobrochia) denticulata, Sw. ; caudex very short 

 scarcely any copiously rooting, fronds fasciculate long-stipitate 

 a span to a foot long deltoideo-ovate membranaceous, pinnae 

 7-13 remote decurrent into a long narrow wing on the rachis 

 narrow-lanceolate acuminate tapering at the base, superior 

 ones undivided and confluent the rest bipartite or pinnatifid 

 usually on the lower side only sometimes with the lowest 

 pair long-petioled pinnatifid on both sides, lowest inferior 

 segment bi-tripartite, sterile ones and apex of the fertile ones 

 spinuloso-serrate, areoles large next the costa the rest few, veins 

 nearly all free in the very narrow pinnae, stipes longer than 

 the frond compressed and the rachis greenish-brown. — Sw. 

 Prodr. p. 129. Fl. Ind. Occ. p. 1600. Syn. Fil. p. 97. 

 Willd. Sp. PL V. 272. Hook, and Grev. Ic. Fil. t. 28 {excl. 

 the syn. of Pt. Brasiliensis, Raddi, and Pt. quadrifida, Pr.), 

 Ag. Sp. Gen. Pterid. p. 56. Pt. tristicula, Raddi, Syn. Fil. 

 n. 112. Fil. Brasil. p. 46. t. 69. Pt. reticulata, Desv. 

 Litobrochia, Pr. 



