30 ASPIDIUM. 



(see under A. aculeatum, p. 20). It is certainly the A. biaristafam of Blume (so 

 named perhaps from tlie paucity of the spinulose serratures), and I do not find it 

 to he noticed by any other author. It seems constant to its character, in the broad 

 base of the frond, the basal pinnae being in general the longest, the sudden acu- 

 niination of the apex of the frond (not gradually tapering towards the apex), and 

 the great tendency of the sori to be marginal. 



34. A. (Polystichum ?) varium, S\v. ; caudex thick subre- 

 pent very scaly with long curved linear-subulate rigid chest- 

 nut-black very glossy scales, stipes 3 inches to a span high 

 scaly as are the rachises with dark brown subulate rather 

 rigid more or less deciduous scales long and more black and 

 more persistent near the caudex where they are quite crinite 

 often mixed with short ovate membranaceous ones, fronds 

 from a span to a foot long subcoriaceo-membranaceous 

 opaque on the surface broad-ovate suddenly acuminate bipin- 

 nate, lowest primary pair of pinnae with the inferior basal 

 pinnules elongated and deflexed (hence subpedate) and again 

 pinnate all petiolate from a broad base lanceolate gradually 

 acuminate, pinnules oblong sessile broad at the base often 

 subfalcate obtuse (rarely in the most fertile specimens) acute 

 pinnatifid or obtusely serrated towards the point, sori in two 

 rows nearer the margin than the costule, involucres firm- 

 membranaceous plane orbicular and peltate (aspidioid) or 

 orbicular-cordate attached just within the sinus (lastreoid). 

 (Tab. CCXXVI.)— >S2^. ^yn. Fil. p. 51. Kze. Bot. Zeit. vi. 

 p. 571 [not IVilld.). Mettcn. Aspid. p. 62. Polypodium 

 XQxmm, Linn. Sp. PL p. 1551. Aspidium setosura, Sw. Syn. 

 Fil. p. 56. Willd. Sp. PL V. p. 271. Langsd. and Fisch. 

 p. 15. 1. 17. Kze. Bot. v'l. p. 572. Polystichum, iV. Polypod., 

 Thunb. FL Jap. p. 337. Lastrea opaca, Hook. Keiv Gard. 

 Misc. ix. p. 339, and in Benth. FL Hongkong, p. 456. 



Ilab. China, Osbeck, Petersen ; Chusan and Tanglan, Alexander ; Hongkong 

 and Loochoo Islands, C. Wright, Colonel Urquhart. Japan, Tlmnherg, Langsdorff, 

 Babington ; Kinsin and Hakodadi, C. Wright, U. S. N. P. Erpl. Exped. Nangasaki, 

 Miss Nelson. — A very distinct species and yet not easily defined by words, and 

 hence, though noticed in the days of Linnaeus, little understood to the present 

 time. It varies in the outline of the frond, sometimes broad and pedately divided 

 at the base, the superior portion of the frond always suddenly acuminated. Occa- 

 sionally I find the involucres lastreoid, but certainly generally aspidioid, as Langs- 

 dorff and Fischer describe and figure them. Their plate represents a more lax 

 plant than is usual in this Fern, and the pinnules more acute. 



35. A. (Polystichum) CAfww^jiowi, Benth. ; "fronds broadly 

 lanceolate twice pinnate, the stipes and rachis covered with 

 brown lanceolate scales, lower pinna) 4-5 inches long not 



