SEYCHELLES AND THE ALDABRA GROUP. 411 
II. 28 (10 4-6-1-12) are confined to Africa, including the islands; 18 of these are 
not found in tropical Africa, but are endemic in the South-eastern islands, and 12 
species are endemic in the Seychelles. Nearly all these endemic species may 
be regarded as specialized forms of groups which are richly developed in other 
regions, perhaps with the exception of Pteris Barklye, a peculiar species, which is 
probably most closely related to the Mascarene Ochropteris. If we take the 
relationship of the endemic species into consideration, we find that some of them 
point westwards (Dryopteris Wardii, Polypodium Pervillei, Elaphoglossum 
Hornet), others eastwards (Leptochilus bipinnatifidus, Lindsaya Kirkii, L. Hornei), 
while Asplenium complanatum, Stenochlena Pervillei, and perhaps Polypodium 
albobrunneum are members of groups specially developed in the Mascarene and 
other South-eastern African islands. 
III. 28 (18+10) species have their maximum in tropical Asia and Polynesia; 10 
of these reach their western limit in the South-eastern African islands, and among 
these there are 4 species (Asplenium tenerum, A. bulbiferum, Antrophyum callifolium, 
and Schizwa digitata) which have their western boundary in the Seychelles. 
The above may be summarized thus: the fern-flora of the Seychelles is a mixture of 
western and eastern species, the latter being in majority. Five species here reach their 
eastern limit, four their western. The fern-flora as a whole shows no peculiar character ; 
16 per cent. of the species are endemic. 
From the Aldabra group only one species is known, the common mangrove fern, 
Acrostichum aureum. 
HYMENOPHYLLACES. 
1. TRICHOMANES EROSUM, Willd. (?); Baker, Fl. Maur. 464; C. Chr. Ind. 639.— 
? T. cuspidatum, Kuhn, Bot. v. Ost-Afr. 68. ici 
Common in the mountain forests, Horne. Silhouette, 2000 feet on trees, Gardiner : 
It is with the greatest doubt that I refer the specimens from the Seychelles to T. dm 
Willd., which is a West-African species. In general habit the small leaves pi mes ' 
more with 7. cuspidatum, Willd., but they differ in the lack of an intramargina ; are : 
vein and in the more distinct midrib and lateral veins. The peg vary in : p 
from circular and entire to triangular-oblong, 8 cm. long by 1-1j dd ias , i. 
irregularly repand or serrate, not regularly pinnatifid as y the ^in y ra ; 
form may be specifically distinct from T. erosum as well as from 4, cusp 
2. TRICHOMANES CUPRESSOLDES, Desv. Prodr. 330, 1827; C. p spun vods 
var. pectinata, Mett.; Kuhn, Fil. Afr. 35. T. rigidum, Baker, £1. sut 
- Mahé, Silhouette, and Long Island, Gardiner | 
2000-2500 feet. Me 
A typical fern on rocks on 
