TAB. LXXXVIII. 



ACR08TICHUM (POECILOPTERIS) VIKENS, Wall. 



Var. minus, fuscatum. 



Caudice crasso horizontali, stipitibus approximatis spithamseis 

 et ultra stramineis inferne sparse squamosis, frondibus 1-2- 

 pedalibus pinnatis ; pinnis sterilium 9 ad 20 subsessilibus 

 oblongo-lanceolatis subduplicato-serratis coriaceo-membra- 

 naceis ssepissime la?te-virentibus, venis primariis pinnatis 

 secundariis transversis arcuatis angulato-flexuosis, areolis 

 sa?pe appendiculatis, costularibus majoribus inappendicula- 

 tis ; fertilium pinnis linearibus. 

 Acrostichum virens, Wall. Cat. n. 1033, Hook, et Grev. Ic. 



Fil. Tab. 221. 

 Campiuni virens, Pr. Tent. Pt. p. 239, Pr. Epim. Bot. p. 170. 

 Cyrtogonium virens, J. Sm. in Hook. Journ. Bot. 4, p. 154. 

 Var. minus; fuscatum, pinnis minoribus terminali prolifera, 



costis venisque primariis gracilioribus minus conspicuis. 

 Hab. Var. minus, fuscatum. India ; Concan, Mr. Law. Nil- 

 ghiri, on stones by the side of streams, Koondah's Corn, 

 elev. 6000 feet, Mclvor, n. 4. 



Notwithstanding the valuable labours of M. Fee and his 

 excellent writings and figures of the Acrostichacece, no group 

 of Ferns requires more careful study and revision than this 

 does. Species are, assuredly, too much multiplied, I fear on 

 very slight grounds : and the multitude of Genera only serve 

 to puzzle and perplex the student as well as the practical 

 Pterodologist himself. By the section or subgenus here 

 called " Poecilopteris" we mean that of Presl : but unfortu- 

 nately, Poecilopteris of Presl, adopted by Moore as a Genus, 

 is Bolbitis of Schott, Campium of Presl, Cyrtogonium of J. Sm. 

 Heteroneuron of Fee, Acrostichum of the older authors : and 

 if we look to the figures of the generic characters in Mr. 

 Moore's " Index Fil.," Plate VII. we shall find venation of 

 two very different kinds ; thus allowing a latitude of structure 

 not tolerated in other Fern genera. 



The Acrostichum now figured I quite believe may safely be 

 referred to the Acrost. virens, Wall., but the strongly marked 

 primary, parallel veins here give place to others which gradu- 

 ally merge into an irregular anastomosing as they recede from 

 the costa ; and, at the margin, is a set of clavate, free veinlets. 

 The colour and size of the pinnffl are extremely variable, and 

 I fear that several described species will have to be considered 

 forms of A. virens of Wallich. 



Tab. LXXXVIII. Fertile plant of Acrostichum (Poecilopteris) 

 virens, Wall ; natural size. Fig. 1. Portion of a sterile pinna, show- 

 ing the venation ; and /. 2, Portion of fertile ditto ; magnified. 



Cent. 2. t. 88. 



