62 
PLEOPELTIS enstrotia. 
Sword-leaved scaly-Fern. 
CRYPTOGAMIA FILICES.—Nat. Orv. FILICES, Drv. Grnat#, Br. 
Gen. Cuar.—Sori subrotundi, dorsales. Involucra Ep in quolibet soro, 
orbicularia, peltata.— Kunth, in Humb. et Bonpl. Nov. Gen. 
Pleopeltis ensifolia; frondibus indivisis lanceolatis rigidis squamosis, 
basi in stipitem attenuatis. 
Pleopeltis ensifolia, Carm. MS. 
_Caudex rather thick, creeping, covered with small brown scales, and throw- 
ing out numerous downy roots, principally from its under side. 
Fronds many, 5 or 6 inches in length, lanceolate, more or less approaching 
to linear, attenuated at the base, and there terminating in a stipes about 
2 inches high ; the margin is slightly waved or repand, the anterior and 
margin, and dentato-ciliate. The texture of the frond is rigid and co- 
ee ee ne ee ee 
are no lateral nerv: 
Sori or acti? Fratelli to the upper surface of the frond, 
roundish or oval, at first nearly plane, afterwards remarkably prominent ; 
in an early stage all the capsules are concealed by the numerous peltate 
involucres (Fig. 1.), which are similar ta only compost 1 the exiles jut 
described upon the fronds, except that they are larger, uniformly orbi- 
cular, and their stalk is longer. In age, these involucres are either thrown 
off, or become so pressed and injured by the protrusion of the capsules 
as to be indiscernible, and then the plant assumes altogether the appear- 
ance of a Pol; 
Capsules spherical, opening transversely, borne generally upon very long 
stalks. Seeds minute, reddish-brown. 
The genus Pleopeltis was established by HumBoLptT ‘and 
BonrLanp, in their Plantes Aiquinoctiales, ai one species 
bist) Me, F 
