89 



the mainland differ in some particulars from the Jamaica plant which 

 I have described and which is, no doubt, the type of the species. 



16. A. lepidotum, Willd. — Rootstock short-creeping, densely clothed 

 with glossy blackish scales ; stipites contiguous, 5 - 8 in. 1., coated 

 throughout with appressed pale, or at first, rather fuscous scales ; fronds 

 J - ft 1. J - 1 in. w.. accuminate or bluntish at the apex, the base 

 tapering, coriaceous, dark green beneath the vestiture, upper surface 

 covered by a thin coating of very pale much appressed lanceolate scales 

 which at length drops off leaving it naked, the under densely matted 

 and glossy with imbricating tawny or fulvous ciliate-margined scales 

 which are persistent ; veins close, obscure ; fertile fronds somewhat re- 

 duced, terminating abruptly at the unequal base, the stipites longer. 

 PI. Fil. t. 139. A, vestitum Schlecht. 



Common on open banks at 4,000 - 5,000 ft. altitude. This of all the 

 species is the most densely coated on the under surface. The scales of 

 the upper side are very deciduous, so that the mature fronds are naked 

 above and densely coated beneath, by which feature the species may be 

 immediately recognised. The abrupt termination and unequal sides at 

 the base of the fertile fronds, shown particularly in the larger ones, is 

 also a good distinguishing character not possessed by any other of 

 these species. In the partially developed state of the fronds, the scales 

 of the stipites are squarrose. 



17. A. squamosum, Swartz. — Rootstock short, stout, densely clothed 

 in glossy, blackish ciliate-edged scales ; stipites 4 - 8 in. L, copiously 

 furnished with spreading dark-fringed and ciliate reddish brown scales ; 

 fronds pendent, J - 1} ft, 1. 1 • 2 in. w,, tapering at the base, the apex 

 acuminate, flaccid when fresh, drying sub-coriaceous, dark rusty green, 

 freely clothed, especially beneath, and on the rachis above and along 

 the margins, with reddish -brown copiously ciliated scales ; veins simple 

 or forked, f - 1 li. apart ; fertile fronds ^ - f in. w. on longer stipites. 



Very abundant on trees in forests above 5,000 ft. alt., a fine species, 

 easily recognised by its abundant clothing of bright reddish brown 

 scales, which along the margins form a distinct fringe. Except on the 

 rachis they are much more plentiful and larger on the under side than 

 on the upper. It presents two states the larger of which is much less 

 common than the smaller, but there are no other variations between 

 them. 



18. A. hyhridum, Bory. — Rootstock short, or shortly elongated, 

 densely clothed with dark, fine, almost hair-like scales ; stipites tufted 

 or sub-tufted, slender, 3 - 6 in. 1, sparsely clothed with spreading dark 

 hair like scales ; ultimately naked, light brown ; fronds spreading or 

 pendent, 4 - IJ ft. 1. IJ - 3 in. w, oblong or linear -lanceolate, acumi- 

 nate, the base cuneate, chartaceous, or hardly firmer, very 

 pellucid, bright green, rather paler beneath, with a slight fringe 

 of dark hairs along the somewhat thickened margin while immature, 

 quite naked with age ; veins simple or forked, f - 1 li. apart ; fertile 

 fronds the same shape but reduced. Hook, and Grev. Icon. Fil. t. 

 21. a\SLY,denudatum, Jenm. ; much smaller and much barer; stipites ij- 

 3 in. 1., fronds 3 • 7 in. 1., the fertile a fourth or fifth the size of the 

 barren. 



Infr«quent on open banks, growing with other herbage, at 2,000 • 



