126 NEPHRODIUM, § LASTREA. 



justly remarks of this, " Plaiita jam liabitu notabilis, racliibus flexuosis, piiinis 

 erecto-patentibus stipite brevi rachique primaria validis rufo-paleaceis, colore 

 frondis \xie viridi et milli speciei milii adbuc nots vere af!inis." I may add, 

 too, that it is a species more easily recognized by the eye than by written charac- 

 ters, it is so peculiar in habit. — It is remarkable that the natives of Natal employ 

 the root-stock of tiiis plant as a vermifuge, under the name Umkomo-komo, 

 for destroying the tape-worm, as A'. FULv-mas is used for similar purposes in 

 England. 



113. N. (Lastrea) />or?/G>H«», Hook. ; "fronds triplicate- 

 pinnate, pinnules lanceolate obtuse decurrent, segments 

 truncated obtuse entire, stipes and rachis glabrous." — Aspi- 

 diuni, IVilld. Sp. PL v. p. 285. Lastrea, Moore. Aspid. 

 datum, Borij, in Litt. [Willd.) 



Hab. Bourbon, Bory, Carndchael, in Herb, nostr. — Carmichael's specimen 

 sufficiently accords with Willdenow's very brief character and description, and 

 has a good deal the appearance of a large form of the Cape N. incequale. 



114. N. (Lastrea) splendens. Hook.; caudex?, stipes 1-2 

 feet (and probably much more) long |-f inch broad espe- 

 cially at the base, more or less clothed with close-pressed 

 deciduous scales dark chestnut-brown or often (as well as the 

 principal rachis) ebeneous-black and polished, frond ample 

 2-4 feet long coriaceous broad-lanceolate acuminate bipin- 

 nate, primary pinnae 6 inches to more than a foot long li-2 

 inches wide subpetiolate oblong finely acuminated and pin- 

 natifid at the very apex, pinnae sessile oblong-ovate acute or 

 generally broader at the base and subauricled above the 

 rest crenate or lobato-pinnatifid, the lobes short obtuse 

 entire or dentate, veinlets 2-3-furcate, sori 8-14 large con- 

 spicuous forming two lines close to the costule, involucres 

 rather large orbicular-reniform coriaceous dark-brown often 

 paler at the margin. — " Lastrea splendens, Wall." in Hook, 

 fil. Ms. Cat. of Ink. Ferns, n. 267- — ^ angustifrons ; smaller, 

 stipes black or testaceous-brown, frond copiously 3-pinnate. 

 Lastrea angustifrons, Moore, Mss. 



Hab. Sikkim-Himalaya, Hooker fil. et Thomson. Bhotan, Griffith. Malay 

 Peninsula, Sir JVm. Norris. — 13. Nepal, Jf'allich (1821, no number; one of the 

 specimens has a long, black, creeping subterraneous caudex, thicker than a 

 swan's-quill). — This has the look of a very distinct species; and its large and 

 long, very deep, bright-chestnut or ebeneous-black stipites, and the sori contiguous 

 to the costule, would appear to be characteristic. If my var. /3 be the same, spe- 

 cifically, then it has a strong creeping caudex ; and in this, though it is a small 

 form, the stipes is 2^- feet long, black or pale-brown. 



115. N. (Lastrea) spim(losm7i,T>esv.; caudex short stout 

 suberect paleaceous, stipites tufted stramineous brown at the 

 base scaly, fronds ovate or oblong-ovate 1-2 feet and more 



