BLECHNUM. 63 



5-17 pinnules 6-12 inches long lanceolate or linear-lanceo- 

 late acuminate mostly quite entire coriaceous glossy obtuse 

 and unequal at the base, veins simple or forked, combined 

 by their apices with the callous thickened margin, sorus con- 

 tinuous close-pressed to the costa, involucre rigid mem- 

 branaceous black at first involutely cylindrical at length pa- 

 tent and flat breaking up in pieces of various lengths and 

 separating and falling away from the pinnules. — Kaulf.Eyium. 

 Fil. p. 159. Kze. Anal. Pterid. p. 20. t. 13. Hook. Gen. 

 Fil. t. 93. Salpichlaena volubilis, J. Sm. in Hook. Journ. Bot. 

 \Y. J)- 168. Pr. Epiinel. Bot. p. 122. Blechnum scandens, 

 Bonj, in DupeiTey, Voy. 272. t. 36. Salpichleena scandens, 

 Presl, Epimel. Bot. p. 122. 



Hab. Tropical America, apparently abundant. Brazil, Sellow, Dlanchet, 

 Gardner, n. 185, 5306, efc. Guiana, Le Prieur (sterile pinnrc 2 inches broad), 

 Schomburgk, Kapplcr. Peru, Lechler, n. 2542. Tarapota, Eastern Peru, R. 

 Spruce (without No.), pinnules small, strongly serrated at the apex, sori very 

 narrow. Columbia, Purdie (pinnules 15-16 inches long), Moritz, Fund; n. 776; 

 Fendlcr, w. 117 (leaves almost elliptical, very abruptly acuminate). West Indies, 

 Dominica, Dr. Imray, n. 53 (sterile pinnules 2^ inches broad). Guadeloupe, 

 L'llenniiiier. Trinidad, Cruger. Jamaica, Purdie. — This is on several accounts 

 a very remarkable plant, and not the least peculiarity is its very close general 

 resemblance to our Lomaria volubilis (p. 39, Tab. CL. of this vol.). The latter 

 however has thin, almost membranaceous pinnules, always spinuloso-serrate at 

 the apex, and somewhat cuneate and nearly equal at the base, dull and opaque on 

 the surface, while the fertile pinnas are narrow-linear, greatly longer than the 

 sterile ones, and with the decided fructification of Lomaria, with marginal invo- 

 lucres. Both climb over trees and bushes to a height of 20 or 30 feet like a 

 Lygodium. Bl. volubile has the true fructification of a Blechnum even in its 

 early stage, the involucre originating close to the costa, at first so involute as to 

 constitute a narrow black cylinder on each side the costa : this unrolls, and lies 

 spreading quite flat upon the pinnule, and sometimes so broad as to occupy a 

 considerable portion, even one-half, of the pagina. It then breaks into pieces 

 of unequal length, separating entirely from the pinnule, and carrying away with 

 them the crowded capsules, which arc partially attached to the involucre. Mr. 

 Purdie has recorded his observation that " when the sori and involucres have 

 thus separated and fallen away so completely that no trace of them is left, those 

 pinnules, much narrower (while fertile) than the sterile ones, now increase in size 

 gradually, and become the sterile ones." Some of tliese are, I think, among 

 tlie largest of any pinnules of Ferns I have seen. Hence, continues Mr. Purdie, 

 it is, that the fructified pinna) are always at the extremities, and in tall plants 

 difficult to be procured. Such a plant may have some claims to generic dis- 

 tinction ; but, if generally adopted, I could not accede to M. Fee's views of 

 referring, as he has done, to tlie same genus, Blechnum orientate, Bt. Finlay- 

 sonianuni, Wall., and even Lomaria Patersoni. If a genus at all, it must be 

 limited to one species, from which the Bl. scandens of Bory (SalpichUcna scan- 

 dens, Pr.) is in no way different. 



