41. PELLAEA. § 1. PLATYLOMA. 348 



* (1) I». falcata, v^e, Hk. Bk., Syn. Pil., ISl; Platyloma falcatum, 

 J. Sm., Bedd., Ferns S.I, tab. XXII; Pteris falcala, R. Br., (oldest name). 



Rhizome wide-creeping, densely scaly; scales linear-lanceolate, with a 

 broad or narrow black line in the centre, the margin brown. Stipes 7 '4— 15 

 c.M. long, erect, more or less densely clothed with short (narrow) and 

 longer (linear-lanceolate), ferrugineous scales. Fronds 15—45 c.M. long, 2 '/j— 5 

 c.M. broad, linear-oblong to lanceolate, simply pinnate. Pinnae more or less 

 numerous, nearly sessile, l—Vj^ c.M. long, '/,— I'/j c.M. broad, lanceolate or 

 oblong, blunt or mucronate, often slightly falcate, cuneate or dilated and 

 cordate at the base. Texture coriaceous; rachis densely scaly and tomentose, 

 both surfaces nearly naked. Sori in broad marginal lines, soon hiding the 

 narrow indu^ium. 



Trap. Asia; Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand, New Caledonia. 



(2) P. Zippelii, BU., Hk. Bk., Syn. Pil., 477; Allosurus Zippelii, 



Miq., Ann. JIus. Bot. L. B., IV, 98. 



Stipes short, tufted, scaly. Fronds lanceolate, + 45 c.M. long, + 7 c.M. 

 broad, simply pinnate. Pinnae very numerous, opposite, patent, short-stalked, 

 linear-lanceolate, obtuse, straight or slightly falcate, the central ones + S'/^ 

 c.M. long, with the base ± 5 m.M. broad, the lower ones much reduced. Tex- 

 ture firm, subcoriaceous ; rachis clothed with subulate scales; upper surface 

 naked, lower scaly on the midribs; veins simple or 2-fid, tumid at the tip. 



New Guinea. 



(3) P. pteroides, Pramtl, Engl. Jahrb., Ill, 420; Diels, in Engl. 

 & Prantl, Nat. Pll.Fam., I*, fig. 142, G— H; Cheilanthes pleroides, Sw., Hk. 

 Bk., Syn. Fil., 131; Hk, Spec. Fil., II, tab, CI, A; Adiantum pleroides, L., 

 (oldest name). 



Stipes 15 — 30 c.M. long, strong, erect, polished, dark-brown, naked. 

 Fronds 20 — 40 c.M. long, 15 — 25 c.M. broad, deltoid, 3-pinnate; upper part 

 simply pinnate, lower with several opposite ■ pairs of wiry, erecto-patent 

 branches growing gradually larger down, the lowest often again branched. 

 Ultimate segments + 1— 274 c.M. long,. ± %—l c.M. broad, oblong, eotire, 

 broadly rounded at both ends, sessile. Texture subcoriaceous; rachis polished; 

 both surfaces naked. Sori small, roundish, distinct but contiguous; indusia 

 oblong, contiguous, numerous. 



? Java; South. ^ West. Africa. 



