HYPOLEPIS. 



343 



of a pale brown colour, and produced from a stout rhizome (prostrate stem) of 

 a wide-creeping nature ; they are of a soft, papery texture, their under-surface 

 being slightly hairy and the stalks of their leaflets slightly winged. The 

 ultimate segments are also more frequently and sharply toothed, and the small, 

 roundish sori (spore masses) are placed in their lower sinuses (notches) only. 

 — Hooker^ Sjjecies Filicum, ii., p. 68, t. 95b. 



H. nigrescens — nig-res'-cens (blackish). Hooker. 



A very robust-gTowing, stove species, native of Jamaica, Martinique, 

 Venezuela, and the banks of the Amazon, It is distinct from all other known 

 species through the strong prickles with which the stout, erect stalks of its 

 fronds are thickly armed. The fronds themselves, of a soft, papery texture, 

 are ample and quadripinnatifid (four times divided nearly to the midrib) ; 

 they are furnished with numerous leaflets spreading at right angles from the 

 main rachis (midrib), the lowest bemg frequently Ift. long, 6in. broad, and 

 divided into leafits oin. to 4in. long, IJin. broad, spear-shaped, spreading or 

 even deflexed (thrown back). The small and numerous sori (spore masses) 

 are placed at the bases of the sinuses (notches) of the ultimate divisions. — 

 Hooker, Species Filicum, ii., p. 66, t. 90c. 



H. Purdieana — Pur-die-a'-na (Purdie's), Hooker. 



This stove species, of comparatively small dimensions, is a native of New 

 Granada. Its spear-shaped fronds, 9in. to 12in. long and tripinnatihd (three 

 times divided nearly to the midrib), are borne on strong, erect, rough stalks 

 Gin. to 9in. long, of a bright brown colour. The largest leaflets, 2in. long 

 and lin. broad, are cut down below to a narrow-winged rachis (midrib) into 

 numerous narrow-oblong and deeply-notched pinnules (leafits) ; they are of 

 a soft, papery texture, and their rachis is densely clothed with long and 

 narrow scales of a pecuhar brown colour. The sori (spore masses), nearly 

 one line across and roundish, are placed against the sinuses of the pinnules 

 (notches of the leafits). — Hooker, Species Filicum, ii., p. 69, t. 91b. 



H. radiata — rad-i-a'-ta (having radiating leaflets). 



The plant frequently found in gardens under this name, for which we 

 can find no authority, is identical with Cheilanthes radiata, also popularly 

 known as Adiantopsis radiata. 



