Cheilatithes.] CLVI. FILIOES. 1959 



2. C. caudata (tailed), R. Br. Prod. 156 ; Benth. Fl. Austr. vii. 727. 

 Perhaps a variety of C. tenuifolia, but has a very different aspect. Fronds 6 to 

 Sin. long, slender, bipinnate at least at the base, the pinnas not numerous, all 

 whether primary or secondary ending in a narrow-linear pinnule, usually at least 

 |in. long, continuous or interrupted at the base, and soriferous throughout, the 

 few segments at the base of the pinnre shortly linear. 



Hab.: Endeavour River, Banks and Solander ; Port Bowen, R. Brown ; Gilbert River, 

 Daintree, 



23. PTERIS, Linn. 



(From pteryix, a wing, or pteron, a feather, from the feather-like fronds of 



some species). 



Rhizome short and thick or creeping. Fronds usually large and compound 

 rarely small or simple. Veins simple forked or reticulate, with or without a 

 midrib. Sori linear, continuous or slightly interrupted along the margin of the 

 segments, with a continuous narrow membranous indusium proceeding from the 

 margin and opening along the inner or lower edge. Spore-cases inserted on the 

 frond under the indusium. 



A large genus distributed over the temperate as well as the tropical regions of the globe. 



Veins oblique on the midrib, forked and free, but almost concealed in the 

 thick substance of the frond. 

 Fronds 2 to 4in. long and broad, 3-partite with deeply pinnatifid 



divisions 1. P. geranii/nlia. 



Fronds 6 to 18in. long, simply pinnate with distinct not decurrent 

 undivided pinnules. 

 Rhachis usually glabrous. Pinnules broad, IJ to 2Jiu. long, shortly 



petiolate .... 2. P. paradoxa. 



Rbacbis scaly-hirsute. 



Pinnules lanceolate, 1 to 2in. long, sessile . 3. P. falcata. 



Pinnules orbicular or broadly oblong, very obtuse, i to fin long . . 4. P. rotundifolia. 

 Veins transverse on the midrib, simple or forked, free, apparent on the 

 membranous frond. 

 Fronds pinnate. 



Pinnae numerous, narrow, undivided, 3 to 6in. long 5. P. longifolia. 



Pinnse few, narrow, 2 to 4in. long, undivided or with few short lateral 



lobes ; barren pinnules short and broad 6. P. ensi/ormis. 



Pinnse many, narrow, 4 to 6in. long, some undivided others with few 



lobes ... .... 7. P. umbrota. 



PinniB 4 to Sin. long, deeply pinnatifid with numerous narrow 



segments ■ .... 8. P. quadriaurita. 



Fronds large, 2 to 4 times pinnate, segments decurrent. 



Segments glabrous narrow, rather regular. Indusium not thickened 



at the base 9. P. tremula. 



Segments often very unequal, usually hairy underneath between the 

 raised midrib and the sorus. Indusium from a thickened base . 10. P. aquilina, var. 

 Veins from an irregular midrib oblique branched occasionally anastomosing. 



Frond large compound • '^' ^- *""*•"*• 



Veins copiously reticulate on each side of the midrib. Frond-branches 

 pinnate. Pinnse deeply pinnatifid. 

 Fronds 3-partite. Segments of the pinnce connected by a uniform winged 



rhachis 2 to 3 lines broad 12. P. marginata. 



Frond with several branches. Segments of the pinnse decurrent on the 



rhachis 13. P. cnmans. 



1. P. geraniifolia (Geranium-leaved), Raddi, Filic. Bras. 46 ; Benth. Fl. 

 Austr. vii. 728. Rhizome tufted. Fronds broadly rounded-cordate in outline, 2 

 to 4in. long and broad, coriaceous, tripartite, the lateral divisions divaricate, all 

 deeply pinnatifid, the lower segments again pinnatifid, the upper ones short and 

 entire ; lobes all obtusely lanceolate or ovate, with a black midrib sometimes 

 shortly conspicuous, the veins otherwise oblique and forked concealed in the 

 substance of the frond. Sori continuous on the lobes.— Bedd. Ferns S. Ind. t. 



