158 OLEANDRA. 



Ilab. Organ Mountains, Brazil, BracJcenridge. — This is the only instance, as 

 far as I know, of any Oleandra havJTig t)een met with in any part of Brazil. The 

 species fotind in the adjacent region of Guiana might have been expected here, 

 the O. nodnm. And, indeed, the caudex and the setaceous spreading paleac of 

 this (well represented in the figure quoted above) quite accord with that species ; 

 the fronds are narrower, less satiny ; the sori are in a nearly single series (as in O. 

 veriiformis) ; and there is a degree of pubescence or hairiness, as in my var. 

 pilosa of the last-named species. It is hence an instructive plant, and may tend 

 to show that when we hiive a more intimate acquaintance with the genus, it will 

 have to be reduced in its amount of species still more than I have ventured to do 

 here. The nearest atTmity of this is with my Madagascar form of 0. nodosa, but 

 there the caudex more resembles that of O. neriiformis. 



4. O. Wallichii, Pr. ; caudex creeping rooting branched 

 thicker than a goose-quill densely clothed with subulate 

 crisped ferruginous spreading and often reflexed scales 

 thickly tufted at the extremity of the branches, stipites dis- 

 tant h an inch to 2 inches long and sometimes paleaceous 

 jointed close to the base so that the very short lower articu- 

 lation is concealed among the scales, fronds 6-12-14 inches 

 long membranaceous subpellucid opaque on the surface pilo- 

 sulous subelliptical-oblong, the sides parallel, the base often 

 obtuse and rounded, the apex suddenly and sharply acumi- 

 nate, sori compact almost imbricated in a continuous line or 

 chain close to and parallel with the costa on each side, invo- 

 lucres reniform ciliated opening towards the margin. — Aspid. 

 AVallichii, Hook. Ex. Fl. i. p. 6. t. 5. Kze. in Schk. Fil. Svppl. 

 p. 36. 19. Oleandra Wallichii, Tent. Pterid. p. 78. Neuro- 

 nia asplenioides, Don, Prodr. FL Nep. p. 6. 



Hab. Nepal, Wallich, in Herb. North of India, among the mountains, from 

 Simla and Kumaon (alt. 6500 feet) in the West, to Boutan in the East, Griffith, 

 Strachey and Uiyiter bottom. Col. Bates, Hooker fil. and Thomson (who find a 

 large form at Lachen, 2J inches wide, with the irregularly scattered sori near, 

 but not close to, the costa). Assam and Kha.%ya., Griffith, Hootier fil. and Thom- 

 son. A most delicate var. is found by Mr. Oakley in Himalaya, alt. 7000 feet, 

 5-6 inches long, 1 inch wide, exactly elliptic-oblong, quite transparent, having a 

 sharp narrow point. One of Col. Bates's specimens from Simla, has the sori apart 

 and forming an irregular series at the distance of a line or more from the costa. 

 Java, De Vriese and Teij.smann, n. 78 ?— This is very distinct in the crisped scales 

 of the caudex, the subelliptical form and membranous texture of the frond, and, 

 generally, in the very close proximity of the sori to the costa. 



5. O. Cumingii, J. Sm. ; caudex apparently creeping 

 scarcely so thick as a writing-pen clothed with close-pressed 

 subulate imbricated scales, stipites subterminal and subaggre- 

 gated 2-3 inches long slightly downy articulated within ^-f 

 of an inch from the base, fronds 1-1 j foot long firm-mem- 

 branaceous elongato-lanceolate acuminate very much atte- 

 nuated and gradually decurrent at the base pubescenti-villous 



