TAKEDA—ASIATIC POLYPODIUMS. 285 
and 1 cm. broad, whereas the largest one attained 105 cm. in 
length and 7 cm. in breadth (both including the stipe, which 
also varies from 1 to 15 cm. in length). As the characteristic 
features of this species we may mention that the frond is linear 
lanceolate, gradually tapering towards both ends, acuminate at 
the apex, decurrent at the base, thin, chartaceo-subcoriaceous, 
light green or dark when dry, with prominent but fine veins 
and venules, sori 2-3 mm. in diameter, strictly round, uniseriate 
and costal or irregularly biseriate, often reaching more than half 
way down or even to the base of the frond. The rhizome is thick 
and covered with ovate, obtuse, entire, fuscous-brown ramenta, 
and produces fronds at an interval of a centimetre or so. 
A stunted form with a narrow frond and uniseriate sori 
is not always easy to distinguish from P. nudum. However, 
in the present species the veins and venules are visible when 
the frond is dry, and the sori are strictly round, whilst in P. 
nudum veins and venules are hidden ; the ramenta of P. nudum 
are more pointed. 
This fern was first described by T. Moore in 1855 as Drynaria 
Fortuni, which was afterwards reduced to Pleopeltis nuda by 
the author himself. Unfortunately the specimens from which 
the description was drawn up do not represent the typical form 
of this species, but rather a meagre, narrow-leaved form with 
uniseriate sori. The more typical form has been described in 
1868 as P. Chinense, Mett. and P. Pappei, Mett., in 1877 as P. 
normale var. madagascarensis, Bak., and finally in 1898 as P. 
Henryi, Christ, which has recently been altered to P. ausiro- 
simicum, Christ (1906). The references to those synonyms are 
as follows :— 
P. Fortuni, Lowe, Ferns, British and Exot. i, sub tab. 42B 
(1856). 
Syn :—Drynaria Fortuni, Moore in Gard. Chron. 1855, p. 708. 
P. Chinense, Mett. apud Kuhn in Seemann’s Journ. Bot. vi, 
p. 270 (1868). 
P. Pappei, Mett. apud Kuhn, Fil. Afr. p. 150 (1868). 
P. normale var. madagascarensis, Bak. in Journ. Linn. Soc. 
XV, p. 420 (1877). 
P. Henryi, Christ in Bull. Herb. Boiss. vi, p. 873 (1898), non ~ 
Diels. 
P. austrosinicum, Christ in C. Chr. Index Fil. p. 512 (1906), 
nec Christ in Bull. Acad. Intern. Geogr. Bot. xvi, p. 107 (1906). 
I have examined the following specimens :— 
Formosa. Tamsui (Hancock, n. 25); without locality 
(Oldham, n. 49; Swinhoe, 1862 *) ; Taitung (Faurie, n. 611). 
* The type specimen of P. Chinense, Mett. 
