31. PTERIS, § EUPTERIS. 159 



Hab. Hindostan (siscending in the Himalayas to 2-4,000 ft.), Malayan Peninsula, 

 Borneo, and Japan. — ^Tery donbtfnlly distinct from the preceding. 



24. P. excelsa. Gaud. ; st. stout ( j-f in. thick), erect, naked, plossy, pale-brown ; 

 Jr. 5-6 ft. 1. ; terminal pinna 1 ft. or more 1., 3 in. br., with numerous closely- 

 placed falcate linear lobes on each side, which are sometimes more than 2 in. 1., 

 j-f in. br., narrowly obliquely decurrent and slightly serrated on the barren 

 part ; lateral pinnce several, similar to the terminal one, the lowest several 

 inches apart at the base, sometimes bipartite ; texture sabcoriaceous ; rachis and 

 both surfaces naked ; veins once forked, J in. apart at the base ; sort not reaching 

 the apex of the segments.— flifc. Sp. 2. p. 183. 1. 136. 



Hab. Hindostan (ascending in the Hinudayas to 7-8,000 ft.), Ava, Philippine and 

 Sandwich Islands. — Like P. guadriaurita on a larger scale. 



25. P. pangens, WLlld. ; gt. 1 ft. or more 1., naked, distinctly prickly, glossy, 

 pale or brownish ; jr. 1-2 ft. 1., 12-18 in. br. ; terminal pinna sometimes 1 ft. 1., 

 more than 2 in. br., with a long entire point and numerous close, parallel, linear- 

 oblong lobes, which extend down nearly to the rachis (1-1^ in. 1., J in. br.), and 

 are finely toothed towards the point when bari'en ; pinnce several on each side, 

 similar to the terminal one, the lowest 2-3 in. below the next above it, once forked, 

 with a smaller similar pinnule ; texture subcoriaceous ; rachis and both surfaces 

 naked ; veins conspicuous, once forked, \ in. distant at the base ; sori not reaching 

 the apex of the segments. — Hk. Sp. 2. p. 182. 



Hab. West-Indian Islands. — If the mnricated stipe be not of a permanent character, 

 this cannot be regarded as distinct from P. gitadriaurita. Poppig'a Peruvian plant, called 

 P. edentula, Ennze, has a smooth stipe, and is normal quadriaurita. 



26. P. scabra, Bory ; st. 1-2 ft. 1., strong, erect, glossy, dark chesnut-brown ; 

 fr. 2 ft. 1. or more, 12^18 in. br. ; terminal pinna 6-12 in. 1., 1^2 in. br., made up 

 of numerous linear erecto-patent lobes, which are often 1 in. 1., J in. br., cut down 

 regularly within about ^ in. of the rachis, and suddenly dilated to the wing 

 within a short distance of the base ; lateral pinnce several in number on each 

 side, similar to the terminal one, the lowest 2 in. apart at the base, with 1 or 2 

 similar smaller pinnl. on the lower side ; texture very coriaceous ; rachises rigid 

 and glossy like the stipe ; both surfaces naked ; veins conspicuous on both sides, 

 simple or once forked, 1 line apart at the base ; sori narrow, continuous along 

 nearly the whole length of the segment. — Hi. Sp. 2. p. 187. *. 138. A. 



Hab. Mauritias and Bourbon. — ^The texture is so coriaceous that the specimens can 

 scarcely be £kstened down on paper. Capt. Carmichael's Bourbon plant with a strami- 

 neous stipe, mentioned in " Species Filienm," is evidently P. flabellaia. P. oTigusla of 

 Bory seems to be a smaller form of this, which resembles P. quadriaurita in outline, but 

 difiers in texture. 



27. P. paleacea, Roxb. ; st. 2-4 ft. 1., strong, erect, straw-coloured or reddish- 

 brown, clothed throughout with large lanceolate brown scales, which fall off and 

 leave it densely muricated with hard raised points ; jr. 1 ft. or more each way ; 

 terminal pinna 6-9 in. 1., 1^ in. br., made up of numerous contiguous falcate linear 

 lobes, which are 1 in. or more 1., 2 lin. br., blunt at the point, and not at all ser- 

 rated ; pinna several in number on each side, similar to the terminal one, closely 

 placed (not 1 in. apart at the base) and imbricated, the lowest with several large 

 simila.T pinnl. from its under side ; texture coriaceous ; rachises scaly and asperous 

 like the stipe ; veim ia\nt, full J in. apart at the base, usually once forked ; sori 

 extending along the whole length of the edge.—Sk. Sp. 2. p. 186. 



Hab. St. Helena, in the upper exposed part of Diana's Peak. 



28. P. NotXB-CaledonicB, Hk. ; st. 1 ft. or more 1., erect, polished, naked, bright 

 claret^brown iJr, ample ; terminal pinna 6-9 in. 1., 1^ in. br., made up of numerous 



