ASPLENlUiM. 



§ EUASPLENILM. IG^ 



seem to pass into the very compound and cuneaturn-forms observable in tiie East 

 Indian specimens). Caracas, Venezuela, Schlim, n. 0:58 and 846; Jiimc/tel, 

 Triana, 71. 2A2; Fendler {n. ir)6, pinnate, pinna; deeply pinnatifid submeinbra- 

 naceous), n. 157. Bogota, llolton, n. 07. Peru, Pwjjpiy, M'Lean, Mat/tews, 

 n. 983; Lechler, n. 2013. Ecuador, walls of Quito, Jameson. Brazil, Gardner, 

 n. 181 and 5314. Isle of Gorgona, Guatemala, f^kinner. Mexico, Juryemon, 

 H. 627 ; Galt'otli,n. dTiW (on Liquidamhar trees of Xalapa) ; Ilartwey, n. 417. 

 West Indies, Jamaica, l<wnrtz ; on Catherine Peak, elev. 5000 feet, Wilson, 

 Purdie, M'Vadyen. Galapagos, Cajit. IJ'ood. Sandwich Isles, Menzies, Bracken- 

 ridye, on the Kaala ]\Iountains, Oahu, pinna; witli ordinary acuminated form. 

 St." Paul's Rock, S. Indian Ocean, lat. 38°-39°, growing among stones at the 

 edge of the crater (now a lake), M'GUlivray and Milne (Voyage of the ' Herald'). 



Varying as this extensively-diffused species assuredly is in its composition, 

 more or less divided, and in the apices of the pinna; and pinnules more or less 

 truncated or acuminated, yet it is in most cases easily recognized. In India, 

 however, there are forms which it is difficult to distinguish from A. cuneatum, 

 although in the normal state of these plants no two Asplenia can well be more 

 distinct, and I feel even now unwilling to bring them into the same section. 



There is again another puzzling plant, the Aspl. spathulinum, of J. Sm. (A. 

 insititiurn. Brack.), which lias the subcoriaceous and firm texture of A.furcatmn, 

 and the broad-cuneate pinnules of cuneatum. This I have thought better to 

 retain as a species, near A. cuneatum. Mettenius Te.itr% the. A . spathulinum, 

 J. Sm., from Luzon, to yl. ?j?7«/«;«, Sw., while Moore retains ihc A. insitititim 

 from the Sandwich Islands, which is nevertheless identical with the Luzon plant. 



139. A. (Euasplenium) soJidum, Kze. ; caudex subrepent 

 rather stout, stipites aggregated 4-6 inches high dark-brown 

 or castaneous, fronds oblong-lanceolate acuminate very rigid 

 thick and firm glossy glabrous bipinnate a span to a foot 

 high pale-coloured beneath, pinnae petiolate 3-4 inches long, 

 pinnules shortly petiolate ovate or suboblong in outline dis- 

 tant deeply pinnatifid and sometimes bipinnatifid (in the 

 larger specimens) ultimate ones decurrent and confluent, 

 segments narrow-cuneate all of them pungently incised, veins 

 few subflabellate, sori few rarely more than one or two on 

 each segment subdareoid often extending to the decurrent 

 M'ing of the rachis where the involucre opens towards the 

 rachis, involucre membranaceous brown, capsules copious 

 prominent (pulvinate). (Tab. CCI.) — Kze. in Liniicm, x. 

 p. 520. Pappe and Raws. Syn. Fil. Afr. Austr.j).2\. Met ten. 

 Asplen. p. 143. 



Hal). South Africa, Cape territory, Algoa Bay, mountains near Riiigtcr Valley 

 and near Alice, Forbes, Droye, Mr. Stetrart. — A distinct and peculiar species, 

 evidently bordering on A. furcatum, but abundantly different in character. 



140. A. (Euasplenium) Montbrisonis, Fee ; " fronds bipin- 

 nate ovate abruptly contracted towards the apex, stipes gla- 

 brous blackish, rachis squamulose, piniue flabellate bij)innate 

 ucuminato-dentatc segments irregularly toothed, inferior ones 



