1953] 



PLANTS COLLECTED IN NYAS ALAND 



207 



casional in undergrowth of riverine rain- forest, 60-80 cm. high, rhizome erect, 

 stipes of rachis more or less fleshy, 1400 m., May 28, 1946, 16054; ibid., ter- 

 restrial in riverine rain-forest, not common, 1-1.5 m. high, leaves dark green, 

 stipes and lower part of rachis blackish, rhizome erect, 1400 m., May 28, 1946, 

 16062. Mlanje District: Mlanje Mountain; Luchenya Plateau, occasional in forest 

 undergrowth, 1 m. high, leaves several, arched from an erect rhizome, stipe and 

 rachis black, 1890 m., July 7, 1946, 16706; ibid., sporadic on densely shaded 

 forest floor, 1890 m., July 7, 1946, 16710. Cholo District: Cholo Mountain, com- 

 mon in rain-forest undergrowth, more or less 1-1.2 m. high, leaves somewhat 

 fleshy, 1200 m., Sept. 23, 1946, 27756. The type of the species in the Kew Her- 

 barium, Scott'Elliot 7706, collected on Mt. Ruwenzori, is poorly collected and 

 dried and is without base. Examination of a confusing collection of specimens 

 from Uganda to the Transvaal has led to a somewhat broad concept of the species. 



Asplenium sandersoni Hook. Sp. Fil. 3: 147. I860. 



Zomba District: Zomba Plateau, epiphyte, massed on a tree in riverine rain- 

 forest, 15-20 cm. high, leaves pendent, proliferous, 1400 m., May 28, 1946, 16056, 

 Cholo District: Cholo Mountain, gregarious low epiphyte, 1350 m., Sept. 20, 1946, 

 17674. Tropical east Africa, S. Africa, and Mascarenes. 



Asplenium sandersoni Hook forma, vagans (Bak.) Ballard, stat. nov. 

 A. vagans Bak. in Hook. & Bak. Syn. Fil. 195. 1867. 



Kota-kota District: Nchisi Mountain, tufted on rocks in rain-forest, gregarious, 

 10 cm. high, 1500 m., July 28, 1946, 17002; ibid., low epiphyte, gregarious in 

 rain-forest, 1650 m., July 31, 1946, 17065. Mlanje District: Mlanje Mountain; 

 Luchenya Plateau, common epiphyte in deep forest shade, 10-15 cm. high, leaves 

 more or less fleshy, spreading, proliferous, 1890 m., June 30, 1946, 16533. Dis- 

 tribution probably as the type. The extreme state with small subflabellate pinnae, 

 as in the Kew material of 17 065 » looks very distinct, but intermediates between 

 this and typical A. sandersoni are common. 



Asplenium thunbergii Kunze, Linnaea 10: 517. 1836. 



Asplenium auriculatum (Thunb.) Kuhn, Fil. Afr. 97. 1868. Non Sw. nec Mett. 



Kota-kota District: Nchisi Mountain, terrestrial in rain-forest gullies, 40-60 

 cm. high, some leaves proliferous, 1500 m., July 28, 1946, 17007. Zomba District: 

 Zomba Plateau, occasional on rocks in riverine rain-forest, 25-35 cm. high, leaves 

 arched, more or less fleshy, 1400 m., May 28, 1946, 16059. Cholo District: Cholo 

 Mountain, covering rocks in open parts of primary rain-forest, c.40 cm. high, 1400 

 m., Sept. 20, 1946, 17659; ibid., occasional ground fern in rain-forest, 40-50 cm. 

 high, 1300 m., Sept. 20, 1946, 17678; ibid., on moist rocks in a rain-forest gulley, 

 1200 m., Sept. 23, 1946, 17762. Also in Rhodesia and S. Africa. Frequently 

 proliferous. 



Asplenium unilaterale Lam. Encyc. 2: 305. 1786. 



Cholo District: Cholo Mountain, gregarious on moist rocks in a rain-forest 

 gulley, 20-30 cm. high, 1200 m., Sept. 23, 1946, 17765. Throughout tropical 

 Africa; also in Asia and Oceania. 



Loxoscaphe nigrescens Moore, Ind. Fil. 297. 1861. 



Davallia nigrescens Hook. Sec. Cent. Ferns pi. 93. 1861. Non D. nigrescens Kunze. 



Asplenium hypomelas Kuhn, Fil. Afr. 104. 1868. 



A. hollandii (Sim) C. Chr. Ind. Fil. Suppl. 1: 11. 1913. 



North Nyasa District: Nyika Plateau, epiphytic on stems of tree-ferns in 

 montane forest, 70-100 cm. high, rhizome straight, simple, 30-40 cm. long, 

 closely appressed to stem of tree-ferns, leaves spreading, 2250 m., Aug. 16, 

 1946, 17274. Tropical and South Africa. 



