POLYPODIACEjE. 237 



acuminate, of a lively green colour, delicately tripinnate; the divisions 

 distant and alternate, the primary and secondary ones contracting 

 above rather suddenly into a long and finely serrate point. Ulti- 

 mate pinnae somewhat rhombic-oblong, acute, deeply incised at the 

 cuneate base, and serrate towards the point. Segments linear-oblong, 

 with 2 or 3 teeth at their obtuse points. Rhachis and costa slender, 

 slightly flexuose. Sori seated at the base of an axillary tooth, or 

 sometimes occupying the whole breadth of a main tooth, furnished 

 with a scarious special indusium, of an oblong form, attenuated at 

 the base. 



Closely as this is related in many respects to the M. inasqualis of 

 Presl, we cannot but consider it as distinct. In a very full suite of 

 specimens we find that the fronds do not exceed one-fourth the 

 usual size of that species. They are membranaceous and delicately 

 divided, with obtuse laciniae; and the scarious indusium is atte- 

 nuated at the base ; in the latter character somewhat agreeing with 

 the M. incequalis, y. minor; but the fronds in that species are of a 

 rigid texture. 



4. Microlepia papillosa, Sp. Nov. (Tab. 34.) 



M. stipitibus Icevibus rigidis semiteretibus ; frondibus magnis coriaceis 

 papillosis bir-tripinnatis ; pinnis primariis cum secondares inferio- 

 ribus distantibus petiolatis subrhombeo-lanceolatis acuminatis; pinnuhs 

 oblongo-lanceolatis acutis, infimis pinnatifidis apicem versus inciso-^ 

 serratis, segmentis lanceolatis subfalcatis margine dentato-serratis bad 

 oblique cuneatis; soris juxta marginem inferiorem dentium; indusio 

 semi-oblongo apice dentato. 



Hab. Sandalwood Bay, Feejee Islands; on dry hills. 



Stipes nearly round, but furnished with a shallow groove in front, 

 smooth, very firm, and of a chestnut-brown colour. Fronds bi-tripin- 

 nate, large and spreading, of a firm coriaceous consistence, the upper 

 surface shining and of a darker green than the lower, papillose 

 with numerous whitish tubercles or excrescences of irregular size 

 dotting both surfaces ; these dots occur throughout all our specimens, 



60 



