HYMENOPHYLL UM. 



329 



Java, the Philippine Islands, and the Malayan Peninsula. Its oblong, sharp- 

 pointed fronds. Sin. to Sin. long, 2in. to oin. broad, and borne on wiry stalks 

 lin. to 2in. long, of a naked or slightly downy nature, are bipinnatifid (twice 

 divided nearly to the midrib). The rachis (stalk of the leafy portion) is 

 winged above and ciliated (hairy) below, and the oblong-triangular leaflets 

 have their own rachis winged and are divided into narrow and peculiarly- 

 toothed segments, one to four times forked. The sori (spore masses), one 

 to four to a leaflet, are terminal on the segments on both sides, and are 

 provided with a small involucre (covering) that is oblong in form and divided 

 about half-way down, ha^dng entire valves. — Hooher, Species Filicum, 

 i., p. 97, t. 35b. Beddome, Ferns of British India, t. 277. 



H. Sprucei — Spru'-ce-i (Spruce's), Baker. 



A pretty, small-growing species, native of Tarapota, Eastern Peru, and 

 one which in habit resembles the small forms of H. ifiterruptum, but with 

 fronds of a much thinner texture and the hairs confined to the ribs and 

 edges. — Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, p. 65. 



- H. tasmanicum — tas-man'-ic-um (Tasmanian). This is identical with 

 H. javanicum. 



H, tenellum — ten-eF-lum (slender), Kuhn. 



A stove species, of small dimensions, native of Ceylon and the Mascarene 

 Islands, with wide-creeping rhizomes (prostrate stems), from which broadly- 

 triangular fronds, lin. to 2in. long, fin. to lin. broad, and three times 

 divided to the midrib, are produced in abundance. The main stalk is 

 winged down to the base, and the triangular leaflets are wedge-shaped 

 at the base on the lower side. The sori (spore masses), two to six to 

 a leaflet, are terminal ; they are provided with round lobes and a wedge- 

 shaped, entire base. — Hooker, Synopsis Filicum, p. 57. 



H. tenerrimum — ten-er'-rim-um (most tender). Van den Bosch. 



This httle plant, native of Peru, is much the most slender and diminutive 

 species of the section comprising H. falklandicum, H. tunbridgense, &c. Its 

 little fronds, lin. to 2in. long and less than Jin. broad, are pinnate (once 

 divided to the midrib), with leaflets distant, very small and slender, simple 



