OLEANDRA. 157 



Ilab, Tropical and subtropical Asia. Java, Thunherg, Blume, Peinwardt, Bp- 

 langer. Thou. Lohb, De Vricse and Tejjsmann, n. GC, 3-12. Luzon, Nt'e. Misliinee, 

 Assam, Griffith. Khasya and north to Sikkim, Hook. fil. and Thomson. Nepal, 

 Wallich. Ovalauand Fiji Islands, Brackenridge, Milne, and Aneiteum, C.Moore, 

 all with the sori quite costal. Ceylon, Gardner. Bourbon, Mauritius (Aspid. 

 articulatnni, Sieb. Syii. Fil. n. 3), Bojer. Macalisberg, South Africa, Burke, n. 

 530 (an O. articulata, Papjie and liatv.ton?). Tropical West Africa: Fernando 

 Po, G. Mann and Barter (normal state) ; Prince's Island, Barter, in Baikies 

 Niger Ej/j. n. 1928. South America : New Granada, Purdic (the same as the 

 Indian form, but petioles scaly), h'arsten; Peru, Lechler (0. micans, Kze., costa 

 pubescent beneath. — /3. Malay Archipelago and Islands, Griffith, Thos. LoIj/j, Sir 

 //»?. A'^orrw. — y. Luzon, Cuming, n. 94. "Java (.l/zf/!<e/)," according to Kze. (I 

 possess what I consider the same from Miquel, marked " 0. pilosa, Hook., from 

 Surinam"). French and ^ni\i\\ Gm&na, Le Prieur, Schomburgk, n. A\Q. Nev? 

 Granada, Purdie. — Presl alone enumerates twelve species of Oleandra, and to 

 these M. Karsten has lately added another ; but if those species that I am un- 

 acquainted with in an authentic form are no better than those I am able to verify, 

 it is quite certain there are more species'than there are good ones. It is impos- 

 sible, with the extensive suites of specimens liefore nie from Asia, Africa, Ame- 

 rica, and Polynesia, not to see that the individuals of this genus are peculiarly 

 liable to vary. One of the best characters to rely upon is, perhaps, the relative 

 length of the joints of the petiole, though this is not an unerring one. The pre- 

 sent species is remarkable for the length and somewhat erect habit of the stout 

 caudex, and the shortness of the petiole, especially of the lower joint. 



2. O. nodosa^ Pr. ; caudex creeping scarcely so thick as a 

 goose-quill moderately branched crinite witli subulato-seta- 

 ceous ferruginous flexuose or subsecund spreading scales, 

 stipites distant 2-4-6 and even 8 inches long smooth and 

 polished nodoso-articulate below the middle, lower joint an 

 inch or more long, fronds 8-12 inches long satiny-mem- 

 branaceous lanceolate finely acuminate 2-2^ inches broad, 

 sori in two or more flexuose series with many scattered ones 

 but not extending to the margin, involucres dark-brown re- 

 niform. — Pr. Tent. Pterid.p. 78. Aspid. nodosum, WiUd. Sp. 

 PL V. p. 211. Hook. Ex. Fl. t.W^. A. articulatum, Schk. 

 Fil. t. 27. Lingua cervina lucida, Plum. Fil. p. 118. t. 1.36. 



Hab. M'^est Indies, frequent : Martinique, Plumier ; St. Vincent's, Cuba, Tri- 

 nidad, Dominica, Jamaica, Guadeloupe, etc. Guiana, Sagnf, Le Prieur, Schom- 

 biirgk, Appnn. Tropical West Africa : Fernando Po, on Oil-Palms, Barter ; on 

 the Peak, alt. 2000 feet, G. Mann (less satiny, but the costa beneath dark-brown 

 and very glossy) ; Aladagascar .', in Herb, nostr. (petioles of 0. nodosa, but 

 frond and fructifications of O. nerii/ormi.s- ; the portion of the stipes, too, at- 

 tached to the fronds, more resembles the latter species.) 



3. O. hirta. Brack.; "caudex creeping paleaceous-hirsute 

 articulated in the middle, fronds membranaceous lanceolate 

 acute attenuated at the base ])aleaceo-hirsute on l)oth sides, 

 costa sparingly paleaceous beneath, sori ahiiost biserial irre- 

 gular, involucres reniform entire sparingly pilose."— /J/vavt. 

 Fil. U. S. Expl. Exp. p. 214. t. :;i9. 



