6 ASPIDIUM, § POLYSTICHUM. 



Hab. Tropical America ; Brazil, N. Granada, Andes of Ecuador and Peru, 

 West Indian islands. East Indies ; Java, Luzon. S. Africa ; Natal. Madagascar, 

 Goudot. Peak of Fernando Po, G. Mann. Fiji Islands, Milne, Brackenridge. 



2. AspiDiuM, Sw. {in part), Br. 



(Hook. Gen. Fil. tab. XXXIII. Tectaria, Cav. Bath» 

 mium, Pr. Podopeltis, Fee. Proferea, Pr. Cyrtomium, 

 Pr. Hook. Gen. Fil. tab. XLIX. C. Cyclodium, Pr. 

 Hook. Gen. Fil. tab. XLIX. B. Phanerophlebia, Pr. 

 Hook. Gen. Fil. tab. XLIX. A. Polystichum, Schott. 

 Hook. Gen. Fil. tab. XLVIII. C. Hypopeltis, Rich. 

 Hemigonium, J. Sm. Hemicardium, Fee. Rumohria, Raddi. 

 Peltochlsena, Fee.) 



Sort dorsal, subglobose, involucrate. Involucre orbicular 

 or nearly so, peltate (fixed by the centre), on the back of free 

 veins, or terminal, sometimes on the back or junction of re- 

 ticulated veins (then called compital). Veins free, acute at 

 the apex, or variously anastomosing. — Ferns very various in 

 form and size and composition, inhabiting both the trojncal 

 and temperate parts of the world. Caudex also very vari- 

 able, erect and stout, or ascendent, or long and creeping. 



An extensive genus, even as it now stands reduced, mainly distinguished by the 

 nearly globose sori and the orbicular and peltate involucre. I follow mainly the 

 views of Richard in Michaux, Brown, and Desvaux, in maintaining the genera 

 Aspidium and Nephrodium as thus limited, and I make use of the venation for the 

 sections or subgenera. Entire dependence is not however to be placed either on 

 the exact uniformity of the venation, nor even on the shape of the involucres. 

 These latter do occasionally vary, sometimes orbicular sometimes cordate on the 

 same species, and sometimes the form and the point of insertion seem to be inter- 

 mediate between the two. 



§ Polystichum. — Veins simple or pinnated or variously dichotomous, free. 

 Sori generally dorsal. PinncB and pinnules usually rigid and spinuloso-serrate. 

 * Frond simple, more or less lobed. 

 1. A. (Polystichum) glandidosuin, Hook, and Grev. ; caudex 

 very small scaly, stipites very short scarcely \ inch long pa- 

 leaceous, fronds tufted a span long sul)membranaceous broad- 

 lanceolate tapering below subpellucid glanduloso-pilose deeply 

 nearly to the l)ase pinnatifid (lowest segments sometimes 

 free), segments oblong-lanceolate obtuse entire or sublobate 

 at the margin superior base obscurely auricled inferior sub- 

 excised and decurrent, sori in two series mostly towards the 

 apex. — Hook, et Grev. Ic. Fil. t. 140, 7iot Bliime. Polysti- 

 chum ?, Pr. Aspidium viscidulum, Metten. Asjnd. p. .38. 



Hab. Jamaica, Dr. Bancroft ; above the old Botanic Garden, rare, when fresh- 

 gathered very viscid, Purdie. Cuba, east side of the island, C. Wright, n. 1052. 



