130 



Common between 4,000 and 6,000 ft. altitude in open or shady moist 

 situations ; abundant in parts of the Government Cinchona Plantations ; 

 near to, if not identical, with P. rude, Kze. Colour very dark green, 

 texture stiffish and hard, surface densely rusty-gray hispid, on petiole 

 rachis and ribs, with a general harsh feel, and slightly ciliate or not on 

 the veins and margins. A much stronger plant than P. gracilentum 

 but of similar general resemblance. 



48. P. Thomsonii, Jenm. — Rootstock stout, upright, often a few 

 inches high ; stipites caespitose, erect, 1-2 ft, 1. brown, clothed down- 

 wards with membranaceous brown scales, and mucous when young ; 

 fronds membrano-chartaceous, pellucid, nearly naked, slightly glandu- 

 lose beneath puberulous or ciliate on the costae and ribs, pale but vivid 

 green, 2-4 ft. L f-lj ft. w. oblong or ovate lanceolate, acuminate, some- 

 what shortly reduced at the base, rachis channelled, grayish puberulous 

 or pubescent, and pale coloured ; pinnae spreading, numerous, contigu- 

 ous fcbove, sub-distant below, sessile with a subulate gland at the base, 

 6-8 in. 1. l-li in. w., oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, with a serrate entire 

 point, the 2-3 lower ones reduced half or more, and often deflexed, pin- 

 natifid to half a line of the costae ; segments numerous, close straight, 

 oblong and round-ended, confluent but not dilated at the equal-sided 

 base, 6-7 li. 1. 1^-2 li. w., flat with entire margins ; veins simple, slighty 

 oblique, pellucid while fresh, 12-15 to a side, sori medial, or nearest the 

 midrib, brown, constantly distinct, at length dispersed — Journ. Bot. 

 1886, p. 272. 



Infrequent in forest or shady places at 6,000 feet altitude ; gathered 

 in the hollow at Newhaven Gap at the top of the Cinchona Planta- 

 tion. Resembling most the next species, but much smaller, and flaccid 

 with a general pale colour, distinct never confluent sori, relatively few 

 veins, and absence of the murications of stem and rachis, and pubescent 

 and nearly stramineous rachis. It is named after Mr. Robert Thomson, 

 the founder of the Government Cinchona Plantation. 



49. P. decussatum, Linn. — Rootstock very stout, decumbent; stipites 

 ceespitose, stout, erect, not channelled, dark or purple-brown, 2-4 ft. 1., 

 membranous scaly throughout, and coated with glutinous mucous, 

 biserially muricate down the sides ; fronds erect, 4-6 ft. 1.. 1^-2^ ft. 

 w., subcoriaceous, stiff when dry, naked except on the ribs ; pinnae 

 numerous, close, spreading horizontally, sessile, with a lanceolate, brown, 

 \ in L, conspicuous gland at the base 10-15 in. L, about 1J in w., 

 acuminate, with a serrate-entire point, pinnatifid nearly to the costa ; 

 segments very numerous, close, even edged, horizontal, linear-oblong, 

 rounded at the end, adnate and confluent at the equal- sided base, f in. 

 L, 1^ li. w.. rachis very strong rather rounded, not channelled, naked, 

 purple, muricate along the sides like the stipes ; costae puberulous be- 

 neath, pubescent above; veins simple, slightly oblique, pellucid, very 

 close 2^-3 dozen to a side ; sori medial or nearer the midrib, cop ous, 

 purplish, ultimately confluent. — PL Fil. t. 24. Glavhyropteris. Presl. 



Common in moist forests, especially near streams, at 2,500-4,000 ft. 

 alt. A fine plant of striking aspect, and some peculiar features. 

 The strong purple rachis and petiole, muricate along the sides, long 

 horizontal pectinate pinnae, and claret coloured confluent sori distinctly 

 mark it. 



50. P. caudatum, Kaulf. — Rootstock stout, erect, scaly ; stipites caespi- 



