„ FILICES. 



pinnatifidis; laciniis oblongo-linearibus suhfalcatis acutis margine 

 venisque setosis; soris parvis approximatis. 



Hab. Tahiti, Society Islands: in mountain forests; rare. 



Trunk stout, erect, 2 to 3 feet in height, and crowned with large, 

 spreading, pinnate fronds, 3 to 4 feet broad. Pinnce sessile, horizontal, 

 and approximate, nearly opposite, coriaceous, smooth on the upper side, 

 14 inches broad, long-linear and attenuated into an entire serrate point, 

 truncate at the base, and pinnatifid about two-thirds down to the 

 costa. Segments oblong-linear, subfalcate, acute, and entire, the margin 

 setose and a little reflexed; the sinus about half the width of the 

 segments, acute at base. Rhachis thick and subterete, with a single 

 channel in front, beset with scattered paleaceous subulate hairs, of half 

 an inch to an inch in length. Costa on the under side smooth, above 

 rufous-tomentose. Veins prominent and setose on the under side, the 

 two inferior opposite pairs of venules uniting. Sari numerous, small 

 and approximate, forming continuous lines from the costa of the 

 pinnse outwards to near the apex of the segments, equidistant 

 between the margin and costaeform vein. 



One of the most majestic plants of the tribe Polypodiece ; and only 

 once detected by us, on the high mountains of Tahiti, while on a 

 hurried visit to Lake Waiherea. 



Plate 5.— Fig. 1. Portion of a frond, of the natural size. 1 a. 

 Section of a segment, showing the sori. 1 b. Scale from the rhachis. 

 1 c. Sporangium.— More or less magnified. 



11. S Y N A M M I A, Presl, J. Sm. 



(Polypodii Spec, Cav.) 



1. SrNAMMiA triloba, Presl. 



Synammia triloba, Presl, Tent. Pterid. p. 212 ; Hook. Gen. Fil. t. 110. 

 Polypodium trilobum, Sw. Syn. Fil. p. 30; Willd. Spec. PI. 5, p. 164; Kaulf. Enum. 

 Fil. p. 95 ; Hook. & Am. Bot. Beech. Voy. p. 52. 



