176 ALSOPHII-A CAPENSIS. 



Native of the Cape of Good Hope, Java, Brazil, and Organ 

 Mountains. 



Introduced into the Royal Gardens, Kew, in 1845, by Mr. 

 Zeyher. 



The fronds, which are glabrous, are ovate-lanceolate in form, 

 and triplicato-pinnate; pinna? lanceolate, acuminate, profoundly 

 pinnatifid, (almost to the base;) segments acute, falcate, mem- 

 branaceous, and serrated. 



Stipes scaly at the base; rachis sparingly scaly. 



Fronds terminal, adherent to an erect arborescent caudex, 

 which rises to the height of twelve or fourteen feet. 



Veins usually simple, in rare cases forked; and dark coloured. 



Sori cylindrical, much elevated, mostly solitary, and situated 

 at the base of the lowest vein on the upper part of the 

 segment. 



Length of frond from forty to forty -five inches; colour light 

 green. 



Very frequently the pinnae undergo a remarkable change on 

 the lower part of the stipes, forming abortive pinnce, brief, (from 

 three to four inches long,) many times multifid, with narrow 

 membranaceous hyaline segments, having a rigid costa, and 

 so resembling a Trichomanes growing parasitically on the Al- 

 sophila, that Kaulfuss named it Trichomanes? cormophyllum. 



There is a variety known as var. Polyantha, which bears from 

 four to six sori on each segment. 



For fronds my thanks are due to Mr. G. Norman, of Hull, 

 and to Mr. Smith, Curator of the Royal Gardens, Kew. 



It may be procured of Messrs. Veitch, of the Exotic Nursery, 

 Chelsea, and of Mr. R. Sim, of Foot's Cray. 



The illustration is from Mr. Norman's fronds. 



