186 31. BLECIIXUM, § EUBLECHNUM. 



a point, the lower side truncate and slightly auricled, the upper side cordate wJLli 

 a large hastate auricle, the lower ones broader and shorter ; texture coriaceous ; 

 rachis and both surfaces naked or slightly pubescent ; veins fine, the lateral ones 

 often twice forked ; fertile piniice narrower ; sort midway between the midrib 

 and edge, in a continuous or interrupted line. — H&. Sp. 3. p. 57. 



Hab. Temperate S. America. — M. remotum, Presl, is a small pubescent form, and 

 Tcenitis sagittifera, Bory, a form with pinnatifid pinnae. Very near B. australe, but the 

 sori more interrupted and not so near tlie midrib. 



12. B. australe, Linn. ; caud. stout, creeping, scaly ; st, erect, 4-6 in. 1. ; fr. 

 9-18 in. 1., 2-3 in. br., lanceolate, narrowed towards both ends ; piitnce numerous, 

 spreading, the sterile ones \\ in. L, J-f in. br., linear, narrowed to a sharp 

 point, hastate-cordate or auricled at the base, especially on the upper side, quite 

 distinct, the lower ones passing down into mere auricles ; texture rigid and 

 coriaceous ; veins hidden ; rachis and both surfaces naked ; fertile pinnce 

 narrower ; so)~i in a continuous or slightly interrupted line not quite contiguous 

 to the midrib, sometimes reaching the edge. — Hk, Sp. 3. p. 57. 



Hab. S. Africa, northward to Bourbon, Madagascar, and Natal. — This and the pre- 

 ceding may be known from all the others by having a space between the sori and 

 midrib, which characterizes Presl's genus Mesothema. 



13. B. Icevigatum, Cav. ; caud. stout, ascending, clothed at the crown with 

 large lanceolate pale-brown scales ; st. erect, 6-0 in. 1., pale, naked or scaly 

 below ; barren fr. oblong-deltoid, 9-15 in. 1., 6-9 in. br., with a large lanceolate 

 terminal pinna, and numerous spreading oblong-lanceolate lateral ones on each 

 side, the largest of which are 8-4 in. 1., 1 in. br., narrowed suddenly to an 

 acuminate point, the margin slightly serrated, quite distinct and cordate at the 

 base ; -texture coriaceous ; rachis and both surfaces naked, or the former slightly 

 scaly ; vei7is inconspicuous and nearly 1 lin. apart ; fertile fr. smaller and the 

 pinnae narrower and more distant, the line of sori contiguous to the midrib, 

 ]|-2 lin. br., with a large brown membranous invol. — Hk. Sp. 3. p. 56. 



Hab. N. S. Wales. 



14. B. serrzilatum. Rich. ; caud. elongated, stout, ascending ; st.Q-\2 in.l., strong, 

 erect, smooth, nearly naked ; //■. oblong-acuminate, 1-2 ft. 1., 6-9 in. br., with 

 12-24 pairs of quite distinct articulated linear-oblong pinnce on each side, the 

 largest of which are 4-5 in. 1., ^-| in. br., narrowed gradually towards the point 

 and downwards to a narrow base, the margin finely incised ; texture coriaceous ; 

 rachis rigid, naked ; veins verj^ fine and close, not conspicuous ; fertile pinnai 

 narrower ; sori in a continuous line close to the midrib. — Hk. Sp. 3. p. 54. 

 B. striatum, Br. Hk. Sp. 3. p. 55. t. 159. 



Hab. Florida, W. Indies, Guiana, and Brazil ; Australia, New Caledonia, Borneo, 

 Malacca, and Miahmee. 



15. B. orientale, Linn. ; caud. stout, erect, clothed at the crown Avith fibrillose 

 dark-browm scales ; st. 4-8 in. 1., strong, erect, scaly below ; fr, 1-3 ft. 1., 6-12 in. 

 br., ovate, with very numerous nearly contiguous linear pinnce on each side, 

 which are 4-8 in. 1., ^-f in. br., narrowed to a long point, the bases quite distinct, 

 the upper ones decurrent, a few of the lowest mere .auricles ; texture sub- 

 coriaceous ; rachis and both surfaces naked ; veins fine and close ; sori in a long 

 eontinuous line close to the midrit). — Hk. Sp. 3. p. 52. F. Ex. t. 77. 



Hab. Australia and Polynesian Islands northward to S. China and the Himalayas. — 

 Presl places this with species 4, 5, 6, 14, and 17, in his genus Blechnopsis, characterized 

 6y having a cartilaginous border to tlie pinnae which unites the tips of the veins. 



16. B. melanojms, Hk. ; st. erect, 6 in. 1., naked, dark chesnut-brown ; fr. 



