TAB XIV. 



XlPHOPTERIS JAMESONI, Hook. 



Caudice parvo (ut videtur) repente, stipitibus gracilibus sub- 

 Eemiunciam longis nudis, frondibus 4 pollices longis 1£ 

 lineam latis erectis subcoriaceis pallide viridibus profunde 

 ad rachin fere pinnatifidis apice in caudam longam in- 

 tegerrimam soriferam terminantibus, lobis horizontalibus e 

 basi latiore oblongis obtusis univeniia, venis internis simpli- 

 cibus apice clavatis, soris in caudam terminalem linearibus 

 venas totas tegentibus confluentibus, capsulis longe pedi- 

 cellatis. 



Hab. Andes of Quito, Prof. W. Jameson. 



That the species of the Genus Xiphopteris are very vari- 

 able, is notorious to every student of Ferns ; and, I be- 

 lieve that the X. myosuroides and X. serrulata are now gene- 

 rally looked upon as forms of one species. It may, there- 

 fore, be considered a bold step to constitute a species of the 

 present singular and particularly neatly formed kind, which, 

 at first sight, and independent of its fertile caada, has more 

 the appearance of some neckeroid moss, or some delicately 

 pinnated Jungermannia, than a Fern. Instead of being only 

 strongly " toothed " as is characteristic of Xiphopteris gene- 

 rally, it is so deeply pinnatified, nearly to the rachis, that it 

 might almost be called pinnate : and in an advanced state of 

 the plant, these segments or pinna?, fall off partially or en- 

 tirely, leaving the rachis like a long, stout, naked bristle. 



Mr. Moore, whose views always deserve attention, observes, 

 that to him the sori of the genus appear to be produced in a 

 line contiguous to the mid-rib, and seem little different from 

 Pleurogramme. To me, they appear to be decidedly on the 

 lateral thickened veins, extending from the costa to the apex, 

 just within the margin : so difficult is it for all to see with the 

 same eyes, and so much is there yet to learn, in the structure 

 of the fructification of Ferns. 



Fig. 1. Upper portion of a fertile frond. /. 2. Segments, 

 superior side. /. 3. Portion of a frond, inferior side. /. 4. 

 Portion of a segment of a frond with one sorus, and the 

 receptacle of a sorus. /. 5. Capsule : — magnified. 



ClKT. 2. T. li. 



