212 



spreading distant below, subdistant above, 3-4 in. 1. 6-7 li. w. sessile 

 and rounded at the base, the margins subentire or slightly lobed, the 

 outer part quite entire and tapering to the bluntish point ; the lowest 

 pair subeuneate at the base, the reduced upper ones broadly adnate 

 to the rachis and oblong, round-pointed and entire ; sori copious ; in- 

 volucres stellate-ciliate. Polypodium sclerophyllum, Sw. Nephrodium 

 Presl. Aspidium, Kze 



There is some uncertainty as to what is the plant intended under the 

 names above quoted. My specimens agree exactly with the Kew type, 

 but plants which seem to me distinct are placed with that. In the 

 plant here described there is a general resemblance to a much enlarged 

 state of scolopendnoides, only that the rachis is free nearly to the 

 summit, and only the pinnae of the upper third of the frond are adnate 

 to the rachis. after the manner of those of Polypodium chnoodes. It is 

 a larger much less stiff plant than the type, with long slender petioles, 

 and the fronds elongated rather in the upper part. The venation is 

 variable. 



2. Sub.-sp rtptans. — Fronds much smaller, the barren prostrate, 6-12 

 in 1. or more by elongating into a slender lax radicant, outer part, 1-2 

 in. br. ; the fertile erect, normal in form, and not radicant at the apex ; 

 pinnae entire or shallowly lobed, the lower ones free often subcordate- 

 the upper confluent and adnate, or all free. — SI. t. 29 t. 30 f. 1. — Poly- 

 podium repfans, Swartz. As, idium, Gr. 



Common on limestone rocks and banks throughout much of the is- 

 land up to 3,000 or 4,000 ft. altitude, very variable. 



The fertile fronds are usually erect, on long stipites, pinnate to the 

 apex or pinnatifid in the upper part, with an entire point. This 

 character of the sorif erous fronds is fairly constant, but they sometimes 

 extend into the rambling oft-rooting and viviparous tail that is normal 

 in the short-stiped, unsoriferous fronds, and that characterises the plant. 



51. J\T. brachyodon, Hook.-Stipites erect, 1^-2 ft. L, greyish-puber- 

 ulous, as is the rachis, and other parts, deciduously scaly at the base ; 

 fronds ample, 1, 2 or 3 ft. 1. and nearly as wide ; chartaceous, pellucid ; 

 dark greyish-green ; puberulous, especially beneath, and most densely 

 on the oostae and ribs, the upper-side at length glabrous, not reduced 

 at the base, with a large terminal pinna and 8-10 pair of similar lateral 

 ones ; which are spreading, 9-12 in. 1. 1^-2 in. w., truncate or rather 

 rounded at the base and petiolate in the lower half of the frond, the 

 lowest, pair shortly narrowed there, oblong lanceolate, and nearly uni- 

 form in width to the acuminate outer part, the point sub-entire, approx- 

 imate or sub-distant, the upper ones shortly adnate to the rachis ; cut 

 \ or Jrd to the costae into broad flat subfalcate obliquely rounded close 

 segments that are 3J-4J li. w. and in. d. to the sharp sinus ; 

 margins entire, sub -crenu late, and slightly setose; veins simple, raised 

 beneath, 12-18 to a side, lowest pair uniting and sending a branch to 

 the sinus, below which 1-3 other pairs join ; sori medial ; involucres 

 small puberulous, fugacious or early concealed by the sporangia. As- 

 pidium Gr. Polypodium, Kunze. Phegopteris Seemanni, J. Smith. 



Infrequent among the lower hills. A very fine plant, of few large 

 pinnae and great width of frond, of a dull grayish-green colour from 

 the vestiture of stellate puberulae, thinly chartaceous substance, copious 

 veins, and minute, generally obsoure, involucres. It closely resembles 



