73 



sum, none also of the other characters relied on for discrimination 

 proving constant. 



The normal form of A. fonnosum exists in Continental Australia 

 from East Gipps-Land to the southern part of Queensland. 



The closely allied A. afifine, discovered also by Dr. Ludwig Leich- 

 hardt on Archer's Creek of subtropical Eastern Australia, has a root 

 very different to that of A. formosum. 



New Zealand specimina of this plant, distributed from Dr. Sin- 

 clair's collection by Mr. W. Gourlie, have the minute dark bristles 

 much more copiously scattered over the lower pages of the pinnules 

 than plants of either AustraUa or Norfolk-Island. 



A. hispidulum ranges in Australia southward to the Genoa 

 River. 



Pteris aquilina. 



lAnni, Spec. Plant. 1533 ; J. Hook. Flor. Nov. Zeel. ii. 25 ; Flor. Tasm. ii. 

 139 ; Hook. Spec. Filie. ii. 196 ; P. esculenta, Forst. Prodr. 79 ; Plant. 

 Esculent. Insul. Ocean. Austr. 74 ; Labill. Nov. Holl. Plant. Specim. ii. 

 95, t. 244; E. Br. Prodr. 154 ; Blume, Enum. Filic. Jav. 214 ; Ach. Eioh. 

 Voy. de I'Astrolabe, ii. 79 ; Endl. Prodr. Flor. Insid. Norfolk. 12,; Agardh, 

 Spec. Gen. Filic. 47. 



Chatham-Island. Capt. Anderson. 



Mr. Tr avers also refers to this fern in his journal, unless the notes 

 apply to P. scaberula. It is widely and often gregariously dispersed 

 through extratropical Australia. 



Pteris scaberula. 



Ach. Eichard, Voy. de I'Astrol. i. 83, t.- 11 ; J. Hook. Flor. Nov. Zeel. ii. 

 25 ; Hook. Spec. Filic. ii. 174, tab. 93, A ; P. micropbylla, A. Cunn. in 

 Hook. Comp. to the Bot. Mag. ii. 366 ; Allosorus soaberulus, Presl, Tentam. 

 Pteridograph. 



Common on open places of Chatham-Island. 



The diagnostic limits of this species require a still fuller eluci- 

 dation. The pinnules of the Chatham-plant are in general more 

 deeply divided than those of the plant illustrated by Ach. Eichard, 

 but precisely analogous forms occur in New Zealand. It seems by 

 no means improbable, that this fern through middle forms is con- 

 nected with Pt. aquilina, quite as great aberrations being known to 

 exist in Asplenium marinum. 



K 



