318 FILICES. 



Root composed of a fascicle of coarse, black, fleshy fibres. Scape 

 10 to 15 inches in length, smooth, succulent, and about the thickness 

 of a goosequill, with a shallow channel in front, bearing the usual 

 frond, 3 to 4 inches above the base, and frequently a second one 

 below it, as shown in our figure. Fronds broad-ovate in circum- 

 scription, and cordate at the base, smooth, membranaceous, and ternate, 

 with a stipe 3 to 4 inches long ; the divisions petiolate, the central 

 one the largest, bipinnatifid. Pinnae or secondary divisions, oblong 

 and subacute ; the segments or lobes ovate, obtuse, irregularly toothed. 

 Spike 6 inches in length, oblong-lanceolate, twice or thrice divided, and 

 surmounting the frond ; the small, tawny, double-rowed, sessile cap- 

 sules are somewhat crowded on its subdivisions. 



This is related to B. daucifolium of "Wallich ; which has a spike 

 about equal in height with the frond, and a much shorter stipe, 

 seated higher upon the scape. 



Plate 44. — Fig. 2. Plant, of the natural size. 2 a. A segment. 

 2 b. A portion of a fertile spike. 2 c. Sporules. — Dissections mag- 

 nified. 



102. HELMINTHOSTACHYS, Kaulf. 



1. HELMINTHOSTACHYS DULCIS, Kaulf. 



Helminthostachys dulcis, Kaulf. Enum. Fil. p. 29, t. 1, f. 1; Blume, Enum. PI. Jav. 



2, p. 258; Hook. Bot. Misc. 3, p. 220; Hook. Gen. Fil. t. 47, opt. 

 Botrychium Zeylanicum, Sw. Syn. Fil. p. 172 ; Willd. Spec. PI. 5, p. 65. 



Hab. Mindanao, Philippine Islands ; in the vicinity of Fort Cal- 

 dera : in low and wet forest lands, growing in the shade. 



