Portion of rhizoma, -with barren Fronds. 



NIPHOBOLUS RUPESTPJS. 



Sprengel. Moore and Houlston. Hooker and Greville. 

 KuNZE. Presl. Smith. Fee. 



PLATE XX. 



Nvplioholiis serpens^ 

 Craspedaria rupestris, 

 Poh/podium rupestre, 



Endlichek. 



Link. 



R. Bkown. Foester. 



Niphoholus — Covered with snow. 



Rupestris — A rock. 



This is a curious diminutive Fern, with somewhat balloon- 

 shaped fronds. 



An evergreen greenhouse species, growing upon rocks. 



A native of New Holland and Australia. 



The sterile and fertile fronds are very different in form and 

 size. The sterile ones are roundish ovate, being decurrent at 

 the base; whilst the fertile fronds are linear, being blunt at the 

 apex, and decurrent also at the base. Both forms of frond are 

 simple; the colour of each above a dull green, and in substance 

 thick and fleshy in appearance; beneath the frond is whitish. 



The length of a sterile frond varies from one to two inches, 

 and of a fertile frond from three to four inches. 

 VOL. L X 



