183 235 
slightly hairy on rachis and coste by minute stellate and a few longer, simple 
hairs. Veins 6—8-jugate, the lower ones connivent to sinus or more often united 
into a branch to the sinus. Sori about medial; indusium small, soon evanished. — 
The erect, thick rhizome is clothed with dull-brown ovate scales and a few small 
fibrils are found on the stem and the lower part of the rachis. 
To this species I refer some few specimens from 
Jamaica: Harr nr. 315 (W) — Mansfield, Maxon nr. 1823 (= UNpEnwoonp nr. 2789) (W) — Bath, Maxon 
nr. 1866 (= UwpERwoop nr. 2826) (W) — Cascade Portland, D. Warr nr. 227 (RB). 
From this species I cannot with certainty distinguish Nephrodium calcareum 
Jenm. Journ. Bot. 1886: 271. Bull. Dept. Jam. II. 5: 162. 1896, Jamaica, SHERRING 
(Kew, auth. specimen), Harr 344 (W). It has the lower pinne more distinctly re- 
duced, the most pinnz are somewhat auricled on both sides and the rachis and 
costze beneath more densely stellate-puberulous; the pinnz are shorter and like the 
apex of the lamina not so long-acuminate. 
234. Dryopteris venusta (Hew.) O. Ktze. Rev. 2: 814. 1891. 
C. Chr. Ind. 300. — Fig. 31 b. 
Syn. Aspidium venustum Hew. Mag. Nat. Hist. II. 2: 464. 1838. 
Nephrodium venustum Moore, Gard. Chr. 1855: 677 c. fig.; Bak. Syn. 294; 
Jenman. Bull. Dept. Jamaica II. 3: 188. 1896; W. Ind. and Guiana 
Ferns 233. 
Type from Jamaica (non vidi). 
A handsome species, in its most developed form well-marked by its size, sub- 
marginal sori and glabrous indusium. It resembles not a little D. Fendleri, but it 
is easily distinguished from that species by its pinnatifid apex. — The thick erect 
rhizome is clothed with large, brown scales. Stipe strong, quadrangular, up to 50 
cm long, slightly scaly like the lower part of rachis. Lamina 7—9 dcm long, gra- 
dually narrowed into a pinnatifid apex, downwards a little reduced. Rachis mi- 
nutely puberulous by stellate hairs. Pinnz 20 or more to each side, up to 25 cm 
long by 4cm broad, incised halfway to the costa or more, sessile, or the lower 
ones very shortly stalked, acuminate, the lower generally more or less shortened; 
surfaces glabrous except the coste beneath, which are minutely stellato-puberulous, 
the margins ciliate.. Texture firm, membranous, colour dark-green; underside often 
minutely warted. Lobes broad, oblique, subacute or obtuse. Veins about 10-jugate, 
the basal pair connivent to sinus or frequently united into a branch to sinus. Sori 
supramedial or submarginal, furnished with a large, persistent, glabrous indusium 
Sporangia glabrous. 
Known from Jamaica only; I have seen the following specimens: Mt. Diabolo, 
Maxon nr. 1855, 1933, 1954, 2318 (W). 
