50 A FLORA OF MANILA 



segments which are very variable in size, a few mm to 1 cm or more in 

 length. 



Commonly cultivated for ornamental purposes, not spontaneous. A 

 native of the Malay Archipelago, introduced here. 



4. N. biserrata (Sw.) Schott (N. acuta Presl). 



Rootstock short, erect, stout, with scaly prop-roots, sending out long- 

 stolons, the scales brown, often dense, entire or irregularly ciliate. Fronds 

 erect, or if epiphytic, then pendulous, tufted, the stipes 30 to 60 cm long, 

 nearly glabrous except at the scaly base, the fronds 0.6 to 2 m long or 

 more, 20 to 40 cm wide'; pinnae very numerous, linear-lanceolate to lan- 

 ceolate, usually separated by less than their own breadth, acute or acu- 

 minate, entire to slightly toothed or crenate, 1.2 to 2.5 cm wide, the base 

 abruptly narrowed to subtruncate, slightly inequilateral, not auricled, or 

 auricled only on the upper side, glabrous or nearly so. Sori prominent, 

 numerous, distant from the margin, about 2 mm in diameter, tl\e indusium 

 subreniform. 



Occasional about boulders and cliffs, in thickets, Masambong to Guada- 

 lupe, also commonly cultivated ; throughout the Philippines. All tropical 

 countries. 



*Var. FURCANS Hort. 



Similar to the species, but the pinnae forked or twice-forked above the 

 middle, the lobes spreading. 



Commonly cultivated, not spontaneous; an introduced form here. Cul- 

 tivated in all tropical countries. 



5. N. hirsutula (Forst.) Presl. 



Rootstock erect, stout, densely covered with appressed, daifk-brown 

 scales, stoloniferous, also with few prop-roots. Stipes tufted, 10 to 40 

 cm long, scaly at the base, more or less villous above, becoming nearly 

 glabrous. Fronds 30 to 120 cm long, 8 to 15 cm wide; pinnae numerous, 

 rather close but not at all imbricate, 8 to 14 cm wide, somewhat falcate, 

 acute or acuminate, subentire, toothed or somewhat crenate, the base 

 rounded on the lower side, prominently auricled on the upper side, more 

 or less villous on both surfaces, becoming subglabrous, tJie sterile pinnae 

 shorter than the fertile ones. Sori marginal or submarginal, about 1 

 mm in diameter, the indusium peltate or subreniform. 



In dry thickets, Santa Mesa, El Depositp, etc., also sometimes cultivated; 

 widely distributed in the Philippines. All tropical countries. 



3. DAVALLIA Smith 



Mostly epiphytic ferns, usually finely divided, the rootstock creeping, 

 densely covered with narrow, brown, usually chaffy scales. Stipes not 

 jointed to the rootstocks. Fronds ovate to deltoid in outline, in most 

 species at least tripinnate. Sori at or very near the margins, the in- 

 dusium elongated, attached at the base and side. (In honor of E. Davall.) 



Species about 70, in all tropical countries, 10 in the Philippines. 



1. D. denticulata (Burm.) Mett. (D. elegans Sw.). 



Rootstock stout, creeping, densely clothed with brown, elongated, very 

 narrow, somewhat flexuous scales. Stipes glabrous, brown, 15 to 40 cm 

 long. Fronds ovate to deltoid, 20 to 60 cm long, the loVer pinnae some- 

 times i5 cm in length, 3- or 4-pinnatifid, the rachis margined toward 



