polypodiace^e. 231 



sori close to the costa, continuous. Sporangia of the two opposite 

 sori becoming confluent and concealing the costa. Margin of the 

 indusium lacerated. 



8. Blechnum vittatum, Sp. Nov. (Tab. 16.) 



B. stipite Icevi semiteretl basi paleaceo-crinito ; frondibus membranaceis 

 glabris oblongo-lanceolatis pinnatis; pinnis alternis, sterilibus lineari- 

 lanceolatis attenuatis serrulatis basi dilatatis, fertilibus contractis lan- 

 ceolato-linearibus acutis basi clilatatis; vents simplicibus vel furcatis 

 parallelis; soris costce approximatis continuis; indusio cartilagineo 

 integerrimo. 



Hab. Feejee Islands : in wet lands. 



Both kinds of fronds about equal in height. Stip>e 15 inches in 

 length, thickly beset with long, slender, black scales at the base, semi- 

 terete, smooth, with a shallow groove in front, of a chestnut-brown 

 colour and beautifully striped with black, the stripes continuing 

 several inches up the rhachis. Fronds membranaceous, glabrous oblong- 

 lanceolate, 18 inches to 2 feet long, pinnate. Piimce alternate and 

 spreading ; in the sterile fronds linear-lanceolate ; the lower ones dis- 

 tant and sessile, while towards the point they are adnate and approxi- 

 mate ; in the fertile ones, they are more distant, long-linear, acute, and 

 becoming broader where the sori cease, which is generally about an 

 inch from the point ; the base usually dilated. Hhachis naked, with 

 a raised furrowed bar in front. Veins divaricating and parallel, usually 

 simple, but sometimes forldng close to the costa. Sori close to the costa, 

 and furnished with a narrow plane, cartilaginous, entire indusium. 



Plate 16. — Fig. 1. 1. Sterile and fertile fronds, one-half their 

 natural size. 1 a. Section of a sterile frond, of the natural size. 1 b. 

 Section of the fertile frond, of the natural size. 1 c. Section of a stipe, 

 showing the stripes, of the natural size. 1 d. Section of a pinna, 

 showing sporangia and receptacle. 1 e. Scales from base of the stipe. 

 1/ Sporangia. — The details more or less magnified. 



