106 NEPHRODIUAI § LASTREA. 



specific limits. The present is allied to the N. triste, but has a distinct gland, 

 though not a prominent one, at the base of the pinnae beneath, and none of these 

 pinnae taper into a petiole below. The surface of the frond is glossy, as if var- 

 nished on both sides ; the sori are very small ; and the involucres so minute, that 

 I feel doubtful whether they really exist. If absent, this Fern would belong to the 

 Pheffopieris-grou]> of Polypodium. The hispido-pilose frond, stipes, rachis and 

 veins are remarkable. 



81. N. (Lastrea) Leprieurii, Hook.; caudex ?, stipes two 

 feet or more long stout without scales glabrous, frond H-2 

 feet long from a broad truncated base ovate-oblong acu- 

 minated coriaceo-membranaceous glabrous but more or 

 less hairy or pubescent on the rachis upwards and on the 

 costfe and veins beneath pinnate, pinnae 4-6 inches long 

 1—1 5 inch wide from a broad truncated base having a con- 

 spicuous elongated tongue-shaped gland beneath broad-ob- 

 long rather suddenly acuminated deeply for three-quarters of 

 the way down to the rachis pinnatifid, segments approximate 

 broad-oblong obtuse entire or subdentate at the apex, veins 

 all simple bearing the sori in the middle forming lines upon 

 the segment equidistant between the margin and the costa, 

 involucres (most perfect in the Tarapota specimen) exactly 

 reniform very conspicuous convex pubescent and more or 

 less villous. — Var. a, subglabrous, gland much elongated. — 

 Var. ^, more coriaceous subciliated more hirsute on the 

 costee and veins beneath. 



Hab. Tropical America: var. o, marshy woods of central French Guiana, Le 

 Prieur ; var. /3, Mount Campaua, Tarapota, Eastern Peru, Spruce, n. 4CG0.— 

 Whether I am correct in uniting the two plants, respectively from Eastern Peru 

 and from Cayenne, I must leave others to judge, or whether I am correct in con- 

 sidering the species itself distinct. Of large species of Ferns it is seldom that a 

 good suite of specimens is collected, to enable one to judge how far there may or 

 may not be intermediate forms, or of the value of what we may consider specific 

 marks. Our var. $ is much more coriaceous than a, and more hairy or hispid: 

 there is a slightly elevated line on the under side, passing downward from the 

 base of the sinuses towards the costa, with quite the appearance of a costule, but 

 it is rather a line of union to the base of the segment with its neighbour, as if 

 there had been a separation, and has no corresponding line on the upper side. 



82. N. (Lastrea) microsorum, Hook. ; caudex?, stipes 1^ 

 foot long rather stout angulato-striate when dry at the base 

 rather thickly paleaceous with reflexed subulate soft scales 

 the rest and the rachis (pubescent in the uppet half) some- 

 what sparingly setoso-paleaceous, frond submembranaceous 

 2\ feet or more long oblong-ovate acuminate (the apex im- 

 perfect) pinnate, pinnse rather distant sessile or nearly so 

 with no gland at the base beneath, 4-6-8 inches long If inch 

 broad in the broadest part from a slightly contracted and 



