PELLJEA. 



65 



rolled over them. — Hooker, Species Filicum, ii., p. 142, t. 115b. Nicholson, 

 .Dictionary of Gardening, iii., p. 67. Eaton, Ferns of North America, 

 ii., t. 47. 



P. (Platyloma) nitida— Plat-yl-o'-ma • nit'-id-a (bright), Baker. 



A greenhouse species, of medium dimensions, native of Tropical Australia, 

 with fronds in shape of the Greek delta, A, twice or three times divided to 

 the midrib, 4in. to 6in. each way, and borne on tufted, slender, chestnut- 

 coloured stalks 6in. to 9in. long. The upper leaflets are simple (undivided) ; 

 the lowest, much the largest, are stalked and furnished with a few distant, 

 strap-shaped leafits of thin but firm texture, greyish-green on both surfaces, 

 and having spore masses provided with a very narrow involucre. — Hooker, 

 Synopsis Filicum, p. 478. 



P. (Allosorus) nitidula— All-os-o'-rus ; nit-id'-ul-a (somewhat bright), 

 Baker. 



This pretty little, greenhouse species is only known to come from the 

 Himalayas, where it is said to grow at an elevation of 6000ft. Its finely-cut 

 fronds, 3in. to 4in. long, lin. to Ijin, broad, and twice or three times cut 

 down nearly to the midrib, are borne on densely-tufted, slender stalks 3in. 

 to 6in. long, of a dark brown colour and polished except at their base, which 

 is slightly scaly. The leaflets are opposite ; the lower ones, in the shape of 

 the Greek delta, A, are cut down to the rachis into a few leafits. The upper 

 leafits are narrow-oblong and entire ; the lower ones are again pinnatifid. 

 The abundant sori (spore masses) form a continuous, marginal line, and are 

 covered by a thin, broad, toothed involucre. Cheilanthes nitidula is identical 

 with this species.— Hooker, Species Filicum, ii., p. 113 ; Icones Plantarum, 

 t. 912. 



P. (AlloSOrUS) Ornithopus — All-os-o'-rus ; or-ni'-thop-us (Bird's-foot 

 Cliff Brake), Hooker. 

 This is an exceedingly pretty, greenhouse species, native of California, 

 where it is found growing commonly on dry rocks from Mendocino County 

 to San Diego ; also on Guadalupe Island. Professor Brewer says : " This 

 species is abundant on the very dry mountains in the Western part of the 

 State ; it grows often in tufts in the rocks, where it receives no moisture 



VOL. III. 



