124 NEPIIRODIUM, § LASTREA. 



erect densely squamose, stipites tufted a span to 1 foot long 

 stout sometimes h an inch broad very densely clothed with 

 dark-brown opaque scales of two kinds some large and 

 ovato-acuminate squarrose others much smaller appressed 

 and more suljulate but similar ones are copious on the 

 rachis and on the costcc beneath, fronds 1-3 feet long 

 very coriaceous almost black when dry ovate or subdeltoid 

 acuminate pinnate or below bipinnate, pinnae approximate 

 4-6 inches long subpetiolate 1-2 inches broad from a broad 

 base oblong acuminate deeply pinnatifid, the segments (or the 

 pirniules where bi})innate) oblong very obtuse those of the 

 upper ])innie entire, those of the inferior ones crenate or 

 pinnatifid more or less deeply, the basal pinnules of the lowest 

 pair of pinnte are longer than the rest, veinlets simple or 

 forked, sori copious halfway between the costule and the 

 margin, involucres cordato-reniform memljranaceous convex 

 entire. (Tab. CCLVI.) — Lastrea, Pr. Ejnmd. Bot. i^. 40. 

 Aspid., Metten. Aspid. p. 61. 



H;i!). Diana's Peak, alt. 2700 feet, St. Helena, Roxburfjh, Cuming, n. 428, /. 

 D.IIooJcer, Seemann. — A very distinct plant of extremely coarse and robust cha- 

 racter, calculated to brave the storms and sea-blasts of its very exposed position. 

 Dr. Hooker observes, " spreading habit of a Tree-fern, but not arborescent ; fronds 

 4-5 feet high," including the rather short stipites. 



110. N. (Lastrea) Ascensionis, Hook. ; caudex a stout thick 

 ascending rhizome perfectly shaggy with the thick covering 

 of linear-subulate dark-chestnut paleaceous scales many full 

 an inch long, stipites densely tufted 4-6 inches long stout 

 more than \ of an inch wide quite squarrose with patent 

 scales like those of the caudex but smaller and similarly mixed 

 scales abound upon the rachis and on the under side of the 

 costcB, fronds 6-8 inches long ovate or oblong-ovate obtusely 

 acuminate probably thick and fleshy when fresh lurid-green 

 very coriaceous and quite black when dry especially on the 

 upper side, dark-brown beneath, bijnnnate pinnate at the apex, 

 pinnte 3-4 inches long lower ones ovato-lanceolate upper 

 ones lanceolate and ])innatifid more than halfway down with 

 ovate obtuse coarsely serrated segments, pinnules of the 

 lower piniicC exactly resembling the superior pinnae, veinlets 

 few sim])le or forked, sori one to each lobe of the pinnae or 

 pinnules, involucre cordato-reniform membranaceous. (Tab. 

 CCLVII.) 



Hal). Top of Green Mountain, Ascension Island, alt. 1200-1800 feet, /. D. 

 Hooker, Dr. Lyall, Seemann. — The very coriaceous texture, short and thick 



