Polypodium.] CLVI. FiLlOES. 1987 



26. P. rigidulum (rigid), Swartz ; Hook, and Bale. Syn. Filic. 368 ; Uenth. 

 Fl. Amtr. vii. 771. Fronds of 2 kinds. Fertile ones 2 to 4ft. long, pinnate, 

 glabrous or the rhaohis slightly pubescent. Pinnse narrow-lanceolate, usually 

 rigid and very prominently and copiously reticulate, 3 to 9in. long, 3 to 9 lines 

 broad, obliquely or equally cuneate at the base, often shortly petiolate, articulate 

 on the rhachis. Sori orbicular, distant in a single row on each side of the 

 midrib and not far from it, the excavated receptacles prominent on the upper 

 surface. Barren fronds sessile on the rhizome, ovate or oblong, 6in. to 1ft. long, 

 8 or 4in. broad, shortly pinnatifid rigid and very prominently veined ; the lower 

 pinnsB of the fertile fronds are also occasionally barren and a little altered in 

 shape or texture.— Bail. Litho. Ferns Ql. 168, 164 and 165 ; P. divemfolmm, E. 

 Br. Prod. 147; Hook. Spec. Filic. v. 98, Gard. Ferns, t. 5; F. v. M. Fragm. v. 

 127 ; Drynaria diversifolium, J. Sm. ; Bail. Ql. Ferns 46 ; Polypodium 

 Gaudichaudii, Blume, Fl. Jav. Filic. t. 6,7. 



Hab.: The typical form is met with in all coastal forests and scrubs. 



Also in the Malayan Archipelago and Pacific Islands. 



Var. Vidgeni, Bail. Syn. Ql. Fl. 718. Fronds 2 to 3ft. high, pinnate; pinnaj on rather long 

 somewhat flattened petioluleg, the margins much incised, base cuneate.— Bail. Litho. Ferns 

 Ql. 166. 



Hab.: Oxley Creek, Brisbane River, J. G. Vidgen; near Herberton, 0. J. Wild. 



Var. cristatum. The points of the pinnse are dichotomously divided into numerous segments 

 forming tassels. 



Hab.: Near Boolboonda, H. B. Fraser. 



27. ]P. irioides (Iris-like), Poir. ; Hook. Sp. Filic. v. 67, Syn. Filic. 860 ; 

 Benth. Fl. Amtr. vii. 771. Frond entire, 1 to 8ft. long, 1 to Sin. broad, 

 coriaceous, contracted into a very short stipes. Primary parallel veins distant 

 and usually conspicuous, with copious fine reticulations between them, the free 

 veinlets in the areoles numerous. Sori very small and numerous, covering the 

 whole under surface of the upper part of the frond but quite distinct from each 

 other.— Hook, and Grev. Ic. Filic. t. 125 ; Blume, Fl. Jav. Filic. t. 77 ; Bail. 

 Litho. Ferns Ql. 169 ; Phopeltis irioides, T. Moore ; Bedd. Ferns S. Ind. t. 178. 



Hab.: Common around coastal swamps. 



Spread over tropical and subtropical Asia and Africa and the Pacific Islands. 



Var. lubatum. Bail. 1st Suppl. Syn. Ql. Fl. 64. Rhizome cieeping, somewhat fleshy, when 

 above the surface of the ground nearly glabrous, with a few dark scales. Fronds crowded, 

 pinnatifid, undulate, 2 to 3ft. high, lobing very variable, in the centre of the frond 5 or 6 inches 

 long and about lin. broad, the apex very obtuse or with long acuminate points, the upper part of 

 frond entire or with short, broad, blunt lobes, the apex very blunt or finely acuminate, the 

 lower part of frond decurrent on to the very short stipes ; the main midrib and those of the few 

 larger lobes prominent, the primary veins islightly prominent, but the numerous reticulations of 

 the veinlets concealed in the substance of the frond. Sori scattered, numerous, and of irregular 

 size, oval or orbicular, very slightly sunk in the substance of the frond, and scarcely showing 

 on the upper surface. — Bail. Litho. Perns Ql. 170. 



Hab.: Near Maryborough ; Maokay, Gilbert Turner. 



This handsome fern seems to connect in some measure two very different ferns, for in most 

 respects in approaches P. irioides, still in some points it oomes near P. phymatodes, while Mr. 

 Turner's specimen has a lobing resembling the fronds of a Plaiycerium. 



28. P. quercifolium (Quercus-leaved), Linn. ; Hook. Spec. Filic. v. 96, 

 Syn. Filic. 367 ; Benth. Fl. Amtr. vii. 772. Fronds of two kinds. Fertile ones 

 2 to 3ft. long, deeply pinnatifid ; segments lanceolate, 6 to 9in. long, f to l|in. 

 broad, decurrent on the rhachis and usually confluent into a broad wing but 

 sometimes interrupted between the lower segments, thin but usually rigd, very 

 prominently and copiously reticulate, but the free veinlets within the areoles small 

 and rare. Sori small, scattered, few or numerous. Barren fronds sessile, short 

 broad and shortly pinnatifid as in P. rigidulum. — P. Linnmi, Bory, Hook, and 

 Bak. Syn. Filic. 868 ; Bedd, Ferns Brit. Ind. t. 315 ; Drynaria quercifolia, J. 

 8m. ; Bedd. Ferns S. Ind. t. 187 ; D. Linnai, Bail. Queensl. Ferns 46. 



Spread over East India and the Malayan Peninsula and the Pacific Islands. 



