NEl'IlRODlUMj § LASTREA. 131 



the costule than the margin, invohicres rcniform delicate 

 membranaceous denticulate at the margin bearing a few long 

 hairs on the surface. — Aspidium, Hook. Ic. PL t. 921 (or 

 Century of Ferns, t. 21). 



Ilab. Fernando Po. — Although this little plant I)ears copious sori, yet I suspect 

 my rather numerous specimens are only seedlings of some known tropical African 

 species, and I almost think I can trace a passage into N. subqulnquefidurn, near 

 which I consequently place it. The caudex is slender and creeping, as in that 

 species ; and it is not unfrcquent for the young fronds of Ferns to be more or less 

 villous or puljcscent, which pubescence is thrown off in maturity. 



120. N. (Lastrea) Parishii, Hook.; caudex creeping (in 

 all the specimens a coating of limestone soil adheres firmly to it 

 and to the descending radicles), stipes solitary lax soft slender 

 glabrous and quite scaleless a little downy at the summit, 

 fronds 4-6 inches long and as much broad pale-green pellucid 

 succulent membranaceous when dry, pubescently hairy on 

 the costcB, pentangular-deltoid acuminate ternately tripin- 

 nate jnnnatifid at the apex, primary pinna oblong-acuminate 

 subopposite deeply nearly to the rachis pinnatifid, inferior 

 ones pinnate at the base and petioled, segments and pinnules 

 |-f of an inch long strongly serrated or acutely pinnatifid 

 and all decurrent so as to form a winged rachis, basal pair of 

 primary pinnae twice or thrice as large as the rest and remote 

 from them half-ovate acuminate, the lowest basal pinnae much 

 longer than the rest and more compound, veinlets lax dis- 

 tant twice or thrice fo"ked, sori equidistant between the 

 costule and the margin, involucre small rotundato-reniform 

 one of the lobes sometimes a little elongated, rachis fusco- 

 pubescent. (Tab. CCLX.) 



Hal). Moulmein, Rev. C. S. P. Parish, " an elegant, delicate, succulent, and 

 transparent Fern, most sensitive of drought, only growing in the wettest and 

 shadiest nooks of the limestone rocks during the rains, perishing immediately the 

 rains are over," Thos. Lobb. — A most remarkable and very distinct s|)ecies, with 

 somewhat the habit of Cisloptcris moniana or Polypodium Dryopteris, but in- 

 finitely more delicate than either. 



121. N. (Lastrea) membranifolmm, Pr. ; caudex a thick erect 

 rhizome with black subulate scales, stipites tufted a span to 

 a foot long often squamose with similar scales, fronds 1-2-3 

 feet or more long firm-membranaceous dark-green deltoid 

 ovate somewhat five-angled acuminate, primary pinnae 3-6 

 inches long \\-2 inches broad middle ones sessile deeply 

 pinnatifid uppermost ones coadunate into a deeply pinnatifid 

 apex with more or less entire segments lower ones more 



