I'TERIS. 233 



ments long and acuminated. (Tab. CXL.) — /3. pinules almost 

 a foot long glabrous slightly glaucous beneath sinuato-lobate 

 with mostly obtuse lobes. 



Hab. Western Africa, south of the tropics, Dr. Citrror.— The late Dr. Curror 

 collected these in "Western Africa in or near Elephant's Bay, about lat. 32° S., 

 but large as our specimens are they have the appearance of being at most only 

 primary pinnse : they exhibit nothing of the ramification of the entire plant. Nor 

 am I sure that I am correct in placing it in this group, or section, of which it 

 wants the entirely glabrous and glossy rachises, yet our specimens of var. 3 

 have so much the general appearance of Pt. sinuata, Brackeur., that at one time 

 I was disposed to consider them specifically the same. 



122. Pt. (Litobrochia) stipulacea, Hook.; frond ample 

 bipinnate, pinnfe a foot and a half long opposite long-petio- 

 late, petioles swollen at the base and furnished at the anterior 

 base with a pair of orbicular foliaceous appressed auricles or 

 stipules, pinnules (6 inches long) remote petiolulate gradually 

 acuminate quite entire obliquely cuneate at the base, terminal 

 one and lowest pair subhastate chartaceous opaque pale and 

 subglaucous beneath where the costa is prominent, veins co- 

 piously and nearly uniformly anastomosing forming oblong 

 6-sided areoles having an obliquely patent direction those next 

 the costa rather the largest, involucre continuous narrow firm 

 almost the texture of the frond, stipes (portion only) and 

 rachises and costa beneath rich castaneous very glossy. 



Hab. Mountains of Sarawak, Borneo, elev. 2700 feet, Thos. Lobb.—k pair 

 of pinnae and a portion of the stipes are all I possess of this very beau- 

 tiful and very distinct species of Pteris. I refer it with little hesitation 

 to the Histioj)teris (or VespertiUo) section, although it has pinnules so much 

 larger, longer than, and different in shape from, any known of that group. 

 The very remote petioles of the pinnae (almost invariably sessile in the de- 

 scribed species of this group) would seem to militate against such an opinion, 

 but if the stipules are to be considered as reduced pinnules, which is probably 

 the case, or auricles, we have a feature common to others of the group. 

 The two pinnae in our possession are nearly a foot and a half long, exactly 

 opposite, broad ovate in circumscription, again pinnate with very remote nearly 

 opposite petiolulated pinnules 2-3 inches apart. Petioles much swollen at the 

 base, and furnished on the anterior side with a pair of circular, foliaceous, ap- 

 pressed stipules, 2-3 lines broad. Pinnules from 5 inches to a span long, on 

 petiolules 1-3 lines long, linear-lanceolate, gradually acuminate, obliquely cuneate 

 at the base, rarely (terminal and inferior ones) subhastate, or sometimes im- 

 perfectly lobed. The venation is throughout copiously reticulated (no free veins), 

 the areoles oblong. Stipes and rachises rich chestnut-colour, very glossy, as if 

 varnished, and there is an indication of their being (as well as the under side of 

 the pinnules) glaucous when recent. 



§ Amphiblestra. — Primary veins jiinnated, remote ; these are connected by 

 lesser transverse curved ones, and t/ie interstices are occupied by reticulated 

 veinlets, in the areoles of ivliich are free, straiyht or curved brandies. 



123. Pt. (Amphiblestra) latifolia, H.B.K. ; frond ample 



