94 ASPLENIUM, § EUASPLENIUM. 



stout reclinate clothed above with dark-brown subulate fim- 

 l)riated scales, stipites Cccspitose 4-6 inches long ebeneous 

 very glossy, fronds G-12 inches long cordato-acuminate 

 coriaceo-membranaceous pinnate, pinnae 5-7 broad-lanceo- 

 late acuminated coarsely serrated terminal one the largest 

 4-5 inches long petiolate lateral ones shorter-petioled lowest 

 pair with a large obtuse lobe or auricle at the inferior base, 

 veins distant oblique once or twice forked, sori at first linear 

 then oblong ^ an inch and more long nearer the margin 

 tlian the costa, involucre linear subfalcate, rachis and costa 

 ebeneous. (Tab. CLXXYl.)—Kze. Anal. Pterid. p. 21. 

 Colla, " Meni. Acad. Turin, xxxix. p. 39. /. 37." Gay, FL 

 CM/, vi. p. 500. Mctten. Asplen. p. 126. 



Hab. On trees, in thick woods, Juan Fernandez, Bertcro, n. 1533. — This fine 

 and rare species is so distinct that it is hard to say what is its nearest affinity, 

 unless to some extremely luxuriant form of Asjjl. trUobum. I have never seen it 

 more than simply pinnate ; hut there is a tendency in the lowest pinme (as seen 

 in the large lobe at the inferior base) to divide again, so as almost to assume a 

 pedate frond. The sori are very long, at first very narrow, afterwards spreading 

 and quite concealing the involucres, which are thin-membranaceous and more 

 than half an inch long. 



34. A. (Euasplenium) dlversifoRum, Bl. ; "frond of two 

 kinds, sterile quite simple, fertile ternate or quinato-pinnate, 

 pinuTO amplexicaul cordato-lanceolate acuminate repando- 

 crenulate membranaceous glabrous, stipes and rachis sub- 

 marginate nearly glabrous."" BL En. Fil. Jav. p. 175. — Kze. 

 in Bot. Zeit. vi. p. 46. Metten. Asplen. p. 175. /. 5. /. 6. 



Hab. Mountain-woods, Java, Blume (prov. Bantam), Zollinger, n. 2628, 2917. 

 — With this I am unacquainted. Meitenius places it next to A. calojihyllum, 



lias equally failed in grouping the species according to countries. The numerous 

 widely dispersed localities of one and the same species, recorded in this volume, 

 render the use of such an arrangement ineffectual. Moore, in his ' Index Filicum,' 

 proposes four sections, — \. Euasplenium; 'l.Acroj)teris (distinguished from the first 

 by the veins ''flabellato-furcate, without a costa") ; 3. Darea {genus Darea or 

 Cicnopteris of some aulliors) ; and 4. Allantodia {gemis Allantodia, Br.) -. but 

 he justly remarks, " these are distinct enough in their typical species, but merge 

 more or less into each other through other species of intermediate character." I 

 turned with great interest for assistance in this difficult matter to Meitenius on 

 Asplenium: but my ignorance of the German language, in which the explanation 

 of the several new terms he employs are alone given, has prevented my benefiting 

 as I could wish from his arrangement, in which too 1 must confess I find several 

 species placed widely apart, which appear to me naturally allied as individuals. 

 I have endeavoured, as much as lay in my power, in the grouping here adopted, 

 to take nature for my guide, and so to break up the numerous si)ecies into sections 

 which have more or less resemblance to a well-known species which I consider 

 typical of the group. It is far from being satisfactory to myself, and I cannot 

 expect it to be so to others; but I have done my best. 



