NEPHRODIUM. 



479 



N. (Lastrea) Brackenridgei — Las'-tre-a ; Brack-en-ridg'-e-i (Bracken- 

 ridge's), Baker. 



A stove species, native of Viti and the Samoan Islands, with oblong- 

 spear-shaped fronds 2ft. to 4ft. long and 1ft. to IJft. broad, borne on grey 

 stalks 2ft. to 3ft. long. The lower leaflets, which are short- stalked and 

 furnished with a gland at the base, are cut down nearly or quite to the 

 rachis (stalk) into close, sickle -shaped, sharp-pointed pinnules (leafits) of 

 a somewhat leathery texture and dull green on both surfaces. The 

 very small sori (spore masses) are disposed close to the midvein, and are 

 covered by a firm, smooth involucre of a persistent nature. — Hooker.^ Synopsis 

 Filicum^ p. 494, 



N. (Lastrea) Braunianum — Las'-tre-a ; Brau-m-a'-num (Braun's), 

 Hooker. 



This greenhouse species, of comparatively small dimensions, native of 

 Columbia, has the general habit of plants of the section Sagenia. Its nearly 

 triangular fronds, Ift. to IJft. long, 9in. broad, and borne on naked, blackish 

 stalks 1ft. or more long, are cut down to a broadly- wmged rachis (stalk) 

 into pinnatifid (deeply-cleft) leaflets, of which the lowest pair are much the 

 largest. The pinnules (leafits), of a soft, papery texture, have their lower side 

 much developed and again pinnatifid, or cut into toothed, oblong lobes ^in. 

 broad. The small and numerous sori (spore masses) are disposed at the 

 ends of the veins. — Hooker, Species Filicum, iv., p. 84. 



N. (Lastrea) Brunonianum — Las'-tre-a ; Bm-no'-m-a'-num (Brown's), 

 Hooker. 



A very distinct, greenhouse species, native of the Himalayas, and said by 

 Beddome to occur at Kumaon at an elevation of 12,000ft., in the Sikkim- 

 Himalaya at 13,000ft., and in the Punjab at 15,000ft. Its narrow fronds, 

 which are borne on tufted, black stalks 4in. to 6in. long, densely covered 

 with large, spear-shaped, dark brown scales, although measuring 1ft. to l^ft. 

 long, are seldom more than 4in. in breadth ; they are furnished with numerous 

 close, unequal, oblong-spear-shaped, blunt leaflets cut down half-way to the 

 rachis (stalk of the leafy portion) into sharply -toothed, blunt lobes. The 

 texture is soft and papery, and the abundant sori (spore masses) are disposed 



