NEPHUODIUM, § KUNEPIIRODIUM. 63 



quite distinct as far as I can judge from fronds with very imperfect frnctification. 

 It is Lnstrea ex-if/ua, J. Sm. (name only), and Physematium Philippinum of Pr. 

 Epimcl. Hot. p. 31, according to his reference. 



4. N. (Pleocnemia?) excellens, Bl. ; "frond l)ipinnatifid 

 mem])ranaceous slightly pubescent on the veins and rachises 

 on both sides, pinnae sessile (a foot long) elongato-lanccolate 

 sharply acuminate deeply pinnatifid, segments falcato -oblong 

 acuminate entire or remotely crenulate, sori seriate, stipes 

 glabrous." — Bl. En. Fil. Jav.p. 160. Metten. A.yml. p. 117. 

 Proferea, Pr. Epimel. Bot. p. 259. 



Hah. Java, Blinne. — AUliough possessing an authentic specimen of tliis from 

 Dr. Hlnme, I can adil little more than the author has stated in the work ahove 

 quoted, for the specimen is confined to two jjinnro only, nearly a foot long; these 

 appear ditlFerent from any other Fern known to nie. The venation quite resembles 

 that of Pleocnemia, and in my specimen the very small involucres are reniform ; 

 but Presl says, " oval, rarely orbicular, at the l)ase often slightly emarginate, 

 prolonged at the apex into an acute scariose process." Blume alludes to its near 

 affinity with his Aspidium (Euaspidium) giganteum, differing indeed, as he says, 

 in the nature of the venation. 



§ EuNEPHRODiuM. — CostuUs or primary veinst pinnate, secondary ones or vein- 

 lets, one (the lower onej or more pairs angularly connivent, and from those 

 united ones producing an ercurrent veinlet, vhich is free or evtends to the an- 

 gles above, thus forming, as it were, a pseudo-costule, which continues to the 

 sinus. Nephrodium, Schott, Presl, and others. 



The union of one or more of the opposite veinlets is the characteristic of this 

 group, or genus as many consider it. But there are cases, as is well known to the 

 attentive student of Ferns, in which it is diilicult to say if the union is complete ; 

 and in not a few cases there are free and united veinlets on the same individual 

 specimen; hence many incorporate Lastrea with Nephrodium whether as a genus 

 or a section, both having cordate or reniform involucres. 



* Fronds simple, more or less pinnatifid, rarely pinnate at the base. 



5. N. (Eunephrodium) Cu7ningianmn,J.Sm.; caudex creep- 

 ing rooting, stipites crowded 3-6 inches long glossy strami- 

 neous slender, fronds thin membranaceous lanceolate acumi- 

 nate costate the margin entire or sublobato-sinuate, costules 

 ynnnate with three to four erecto-patent veinlets mostly com- 

 bined in opposite pairs, sori dorsal on the middle of a veinlet 

 small, involucres small narrow-reniform membranaceous 

 ciliated. — Aspidium (Nephrodium) Cumingianum, Kze. in 

 Schk. Fil. Suppl. p. 17. t. 9. /. 2. Metten. Aspid. p. 96. 

 Nephrodium, /. Sm. in Bot. of Herald, p. 237. t. 50 {not 

 Nephrodium Cumingii, /. Sm., which is Nephrodium conio- 

 neuron. Fee). 



Hab. Tropical America, Panama, Cuming, n. 1123, Fcndler, n. 391. Isle of 

 Coyha, Seemann. — A small, delicate, but well-marked species, accurately figured 

 by Kunze, and in Dr. Seemanu's ' Botany of II. ;\I. S. Herald.' 



