6 



involucres nearly spherical, base immersed, valves rounded and densely margined with grouped 

 hairs. 



Frequent in forests, and on wayside banks, above 5,000 ft. alt. 



Distinguished from the rest by its smaller size, and the uniformly simple division of the fronds. 



14. H. hirsutum, Swartz. 



Fronds pendent, pale or dark grey, covered with hairs arranged more or less in groups, soft and 

 thin, narrow with margins more or less parallel, tapering upwards, apex blunt, 3 — 5 in. L, \ — 1 in. w., 

 twice-pinnately-divided, rachis winged, pinnae somewhat fan-shaped and divided, base wedge-shaped, 

 divisions fertile at the ends, less than 1 li. w. ; 



involucres rounded, base immersed, covered with hairs arranged in groups. 



Abundant, forming larger patches above 4,000 ft. alt. i 



The fronds vary in cutting, but typically the pinnae are triangular in outline. 



H. lati/rons, Fee, is a broad state, in which the lower part of the frond especially is suspended. 



15. elegantissimum, Fee. 



Fronds lax, soft, pendent, of a uniform width to near the apex, thrice-pinnately-divided, 3—7 in. 

 1., \ — 1 in. w., dark brown, thin, with a few hairs or none, margins wavy or crispy ; pinnae apart, often 

 distant, \ — \ in. 1., \ w., each comprising 3 — 6 narrow diverging divisions which are \ — 1 li. w., 2 — 6 

 li. 1., with blunt apex, the same width as the winged rachis ; 



sori small, variable in quantity, terminal on the divisions ; 



involucres circular, attached by the full width of the base, lips rounded, hairy. 



Common, forming large patches on trunks of trees at 5,000 ft. alt. 



The very lax habit, and wavy crispy margins clearly mark this species. 



16. H. antillense, Jenm. 



Fronds soft, pendent, greyish, covered with hairs arranged more or less in groups, twice pinnately- 

 divided, 3 — 8 in. L, \ — f in. w. at the base, thence tapering gradually to the apex which is 2- - 3 li. w., 

 rachis margined inconspicuously above, the lower part quite free, pinnae variable, the upper ones com- 

 posed each of 2-4 divisions, the lower with few or several lobes on each side, which are 1-3 li. 1., \ li. 

 -w., blunt ; 



sori small, terminal, occupying the majority of the lobes ; 



involucres immersed at the base, lips rounded and densely covered with grouped hairs. (B. lineare, 

 var. antillense Jenn., Journal of Botany, 1879, p. 258.) 



Infrequently in large masses on trees of the highest ridges, 7,000 ft. alt. 



It is exactly intermediate in character between hirsutum and lineare, marked from the former by 

 the rachis being few in the lower part, and from the latter by its being winged in the upper part. It 

 has also been found on the slopes of Mt. Roraima, British Guiana. 



17. H. lineare, Swartz. 



Fronds pendent, soft and very delicate of texture, twice or thrice-pinnately-divided, pale or 

 rusty-gray, covered with grouped hairs, 3 — 6 in. 1. \ — f in. w. (sometimes much more by the frond- 

 like extension of the pinnae), usually of nearly a uniform width to the top, the hair-like flexuose rachis 

 free throughout, pinnae variable, near or distant, composed of 2 or 3 diverging divisions, 2 — 6 li w., 

 divisions 1 — 3 li. 1., ^ li. w. ; 



sori terminal, few or plentiful ; 



involucres broader than deep, the base immersed, lips rounded densely covered with tawny hairs. 

 Very common on trees in matted, tangled masses, above 5,000 ft. alt. 



The fronds appear to extend indefinitely, the older pinnae dying and dropping away, leaving the 

 naked, hair-like rachises. Pulled from the tree, it seems a mass of tangled hair. 



18. B sericeum, Swartz. 



Fronds pendent, flaccid, 6 — 18 in. 1., 1— 1\ in. w., about the same width throughout, the surface 

 striped, tawny- gray, and densely covered with woolly hairs, pinnate below, the rachis winged upwards, 

 pinnae very numerous, close, f — \\ in. 1., \ in. w., mostly somewhat curved and tapering to an acute 

 or blnnt point, the margins cut, the segments \ — 1 li. w., simple or the basal ones united, veins pinnate, 

 forked or simple, oblique ; 



sori small, mostly confined to the outer seguments ; 



involucres roundish, immersed over half their depth, lips rounded and very densely covered with 

 hairs. 



Common in the mid-region of the great mountain ranges in forests, coffee plantations, and by shel- 

 tered waysides, growing from the sides or undersides of branches, sometimes reaching to 2 ft. L, the older 

 pinnae being dead, and partly dropped away as in lineare. 



19. H. ciliatum, Swartz. 



Fronds oblong or oblong-lance-shaped, tapering to a fine or to a blunt point, twice pinnately-part- 

 ed, dark-brown, covered with hairs especially on the margins, 1^ — 3| in. 1., \ — £ in. w , the rachis broadly 

 winged, pinnae close or near, regularly pinnately-parted, J — \ in. L, f in. w., the incised end obtuse or 

 rounded, segments 3 — 5 to a side at an acute angle, the free part 1 — 2 li. 1., \ — 1 li- w -> obtuse ; 



sori terminal, usually confined to the upper half of the frond ; 



involucres spherical, rather large, attached by the breadth of the base, the lips densely covered 

 ■with hairs. 



Generally distributed above 2,000 ft. alt., growing on mossy logs, rocks, &c, in moist forests. 

 It differs from the species most nearly allied to it by being more hairy, with smaller fronds, and. 

 larger involucres. 



The variety crispatum, Baker, has wavy margins. 



20. B. Boryanum, Willd. 



Fronds oblong or ovate-lanceolate, twice or thrice-pinnately parted, dark-brown, covered witli 



