119 



nearly to the raeliis, passing at the apex rather abruptly into a sub- 

 entire point, gradually reduced at the base through rather deltoid to 

 rounded bro;id and shallow scallop-shaped lobes which are connected 

 and form a wing to the stipites ; segments oblong, obtuse-pointed, 

 broadened to the base where they are close, obliquely adnate and con- 

 nected, 4-6 li. 1. 1^-2 li. b. ; rachis thread-like, bnt rather strong, a 

 little flexuose or not, veins simple, reaching halfway to the margin, 

 with the sori terminal upon them 



Infrequent at 4,000-5,000 ft alt. on trees in forest gathered at Vine- 

 gar Hill and elsewhere. This comes nearest perhaps to pendulum, from 

 which it differs by the stronger rootstock, close more decurrently ad- 

 nate segments hairy surface, terminal superficial sori, and absence of 

 glands, and different apex and base. It is also erect in growth, and 

 the veins and midribs of the pinnae are not raised on the upperside. 



25. P. cultratum, Willd. — Stipites numerous, tufted, slender \- 1 in, 

 1. or rather more clothed with l>ng soft reddish or rusty silky hairs as 

 is also the small fibrous rootstock: fronds pendent, flaccid, ^-1 ft. 1. by 

 in. w., rusty with copious soft spreading hairs, membranous, pel- 

 lucid ; fully pinnate, shortly reduced at both base and apex ; pinnae 

 very nmerous, horizontal, close or somewhat apart, lanceolate-oblong, 

 in. 1. 1^-2 li. w. the end rounded, both the upper and under sides 

 of the fully adnate base slightly decurved, margins entire and even ; 

 rachis black, filiform, villose ; veins simple, short reaching about half- 

 way to the margins, 6-8 to a 6ide, with the round sori, which are not 

 very close, terminal on their ends forming a medial series ; midveins 

 flexuose, often or usually fertile at their extremity ; sporangia copiously 

 mixed wiih rusty hairs. — PI. Fil. t. 88 (much too large). 



var. a. elasticum. — Fronds linear-ligulate nearly or quite sessile, 

 shortly or at considerable length reduced at the base, often little, if at 

 all so at the the top, uniform or variable in width throughout, ^rd.-l^ 

 ft. 1. J to 1 in. w., segments close fully adnate at the base, 2-6 li. 1 1-2 li, 

 w., the upper murgin curved or decurved, even ; veins 2-6 to a side ; 

 texture delicately thin : sori usually 3-6, on the outer veins. — P. elas- 

 ticum, Bory. 



var. b. brachyphyllum, Or. — Fronds 4-12 in. 1. f to over 1 in. w, 

 segments oblong ovate or lanceolate oblong, varying from close to 

 nearly their own width apart, J-f rds. in. 1. 1^-2 li. b. rounded or 

 subauricled on the upperside of the base and more or less free there, 

 margins even or crenate ; veins sori and texture as in the type. 



var. c. heterophyllum. — Segments lanceolate-oblong, crenate or lobate, 

 often transformed into pinnate pinnae, which resemble the normal 

 fronds. 



Abundant, draping the trunks of trees, in forests above 4,000 or 

 5,000 ft. altitude ; one of the commonest of the epiphytal species of 

 the great forest region, well distinguished by its soft flaccid membrano- 

 elastic texture and soft copious vestiture of reddish or fulvous hairs. 

 In neatly all the forms there is more or less of a distinct curvature of 

 the upper margin from the base outwards. The type is marked by the 

 segments being fully adnate at the base, the upperside not at all auri- 

 cled or partially free. A is mostly though not uninformly a smaller 

 delicate-textured state, of narrower width sometimes much attenuated 

 at the base, with shorter segments, which are often fertile only in- 



