1953] 



PLANTS COLLECTED IN NYAS ALAND 



199 



PTERIDACEAE 



Adiantum capillus-veneris L. Sp. PI. 1096. 1753. 



Cholo District: Cholo, plentiful on rocks in riverine rain-forest, 30-40 cm. 

 high, 900 m., Sept. 30, 1946, 17878, An inhabitant of damp places in most tropical 

 and subtropical countries, extending northwards to Britain. The common maiden- 

 hair fern which in the tropics is restricted to high altitudes D 



Adiantum caudatum L. Mant. 308. 1771. 



Mlanje District: Likubula Gorge, on moist shaded rocks in woodlands, prolif- 

 erous, 1200 m., June 21, 1946, Vernay 16393. A common species of the Old World 

 tropics and subtropics. 



Adiantum poiretii Wikstr. Sv. Vet.-Akad. Handl. 1825: 443. 1826. 



North Nyasa District: Nyika Plateau, occasional in edges of montane forest, 

 30-80 cm. high, rhizome horizontal and shortly creeping, 2340 m., Aug. 19, 1946, 

 17339. Tropics and subtropics of Africa and islands, India, Central and South 

 America. Resembles A. aethiopicum L , but laminal nerves end in sinuses be- 

 tween marginal teeth. 



Cheilanthes multifida Sw. Syn. Fil. 129: 334. 1806. 



Zomba District: Zomba Plateau, crowded in moist shade on an exposed rocky 

 summit, 50-70 cm. high, 1820 m., May 31, 1946, 16123. Mlanje District: Mlanje 

 Mountain; Luchenya Plateau, primary forest undergrowth, c. 1.5 m. high, clumps 

 of several leaves, rhizome erect, 1890 m., July 12, 1946, 16804. Tropical east and 

 South Africa. If Adiantopsis Fee be accepted, the present species would probably 

 be more correctly placed therein. 



Doryopteris concolor (Langsd. & Fisch.) Kuhn in Deck. Reis. in Ostafr. 3 3 : Bot. 

 19. 1879. 



Mlanje District: Mlanje Mountain; Likubula Gorge, on moist shaded rocks in 

 woodlands, 1200 m., June 21, 1946, Vernay 16392. Pantropical. This collection 

 includes fronds showing the typical pteroid condition mixed with others with in- 

 terrupted sori, generally known as var. kirkii (Hook.) Hieron. 



Notholaena buchanani Bak. in Hook. & Bak. Syn. Fil. 373. 1868. 



Mlanje District: Mlanje Mountain, south-west ridge, in dry shelter of a rock on 

 grassland, 2150 m., June 28, 1946, 16522*; ibid.; Luchenya Plateau, 1900 m., July 

 7, 1946, 16704*; ibid., 2200 m., July 11, 1946, 16782*. South Africa, Rhodesia, 

 Mozambique. 



Pellaea doniana (J. Sm.) Hook. Sp. Fil. 2: 137. 1858. 



Cholo District: Nswadzi River, terrestrial in riverine rain-forest, 80-90 cm. 

 high, clumps of several arched leaves, rhizome short, horizontal, 840 m., Sept. 

 29, 1946, 17865. Tropical Africa. 



Pellaea dura (Willd.) Bak. Jour. Bot. 18: 327. 1880. 



Kota-kota District: Nchisi Mountain, amongst rocks in Brachystegia woodland, 

 dry and withered after the rains, about 60 cm. high, 1500 m., July 26, 1946, 16964. 

 Zomba District: Zomba Plateau, frequent in dry rocky situations, 25-50 cm. high, 

 leaves erect, pale, stiff, 1500 m., June 2, 1946, 16151. South Africa and 

 Mascarenes. 



Pellaea goudotii (Kunze) C. Chr. Ind. Fil. 480. 1906. 



Kota-kota District: Nchisi Mountain, frequent under rocks in Brachystegia 

 woodland, 25-40 cm. high, dry and withered after the rains, 1400 m., July 24, 

 1946, 16912. South Africa and Mascarenes. 



