DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIES. 79 



pinnae, from the lower jjart of the frond, with alternate, short, broadly 

 ovate, very obtuse, round-lobed pinnnles, those of the ui)i»er part of the 

 frond having the lowest pinnules distinct and more or less round-lobed, 

 and towards the suunuit with pinnules passing- through such forms as 

 rotundate, subrhombic, and decurrent to entire and rounded, the latter hav- 

 ing the tips round-lobed and very obtuse; nerves varying according to the 

 position and shape of the pinnules, those of the round-lobed pinnules and 

 of the pinn;e reduced to j)innules flabellately diverging in each lobe, the 

 branches being either forked or simple. Tiie nerves of the subrhoudjic 

 pinnules have a midnerve, which sends off alternately on each side forked 

 or simple brandies. All the nerves are very strongly marked and stout. 

 The leaf-substance is thick and leathery. 



Locality: Fredericksburg; rare. 



Tiiis plant is well characterized by its very strong prominent nerves 

 and by the varying pinnules, which show some of the features of .S};//f«ojj- 

 teris, of Tliyrsoptcris, and of Cladoplikhia, respectively. It seems to be 

 unique. 



Cladopiilebis sphenopteroides, sp. nov. 



Plate X.XI, I'i^'. I. 



Frond bii)innatifid or tripinnatitid ; pinnules or uppermost pinna3 

 ovate-lanceolate, oljtuse, narrowed much at base and attached by the nar- 

 rowl\- wing-ed base of the rachis or midnerve, lower ones deeply and 

 obliquely cut into oblong lobes, which are very obtuse and rounded at 

 their tips, upper ones cut less deeply and into fewer lol)es, at the summit 

 united and forming a termination similar to the lower pinnules or pinnaj ; 

 nerves flabellately diverging- in each lobe, l)rancliing several times, very 

 fine and closely i)laced, but very distinct. 



Locality: Fishing hut above Dutch (Jap Canal; verv rare. 



This plant, although found in small fragments only and very rarely, 

 is still evidently a distinct species. It should, perhaps, be placed rather in 

 the SpliCHoptcrls than in the Cladoplilehls group of ferns. It is something 

 like Thyrsopteris prisca,^ Eichw., as figured b}'' Heer, but the nerves are 



' Flor. Fos8. Arctica, vol. 4, No. 2, Beitriige zur Flor. Ost. Sib., PI. XVIII, Fig. 8. 



