201 



1. M. angustifolium, Willd. — Rootstock fasciculate, decumbent, short- 

 creeping, forming with the abundant rootlets matted masses; stipites 

 contiguous or subtufted, 10 — 15 in. 1. strong, slightly pubescent, dark 

 coloured below and clothed with a few deciduous scales ; fronds pinnate 

 1-1^ ft. 1. 5-10 or 12 in. w. barren and feitile distinct, subcoriaceous, 

 naked except the costa3 which are finely coated with puberuke, dark 

 green, composed of numerous lateral pinnse and a similar terminal 

 one, rachis light coloured channelled, finely pubescent; pinnae spread- 

 ing or erecto- spreading, approximate but not close, linear-lanceolate, 

 tapering and Aery acuminate, the base cuneate and stipitate, 3-6 in 1. 

 § ths-fths in. w., lowest pair usually a little reduced, margins entire ; 

 sori copious, confluent and covering the under surface at matu- 

 rity; veins close, areolae 6-8-serial. SI. Hisi. p. 84, t. 40; Herb p. 

 86. M sorbifolium, Eat., Phegopteris, Mett. 



Common on wet rocks in the beds of rivers among the lower hills, 

 and widely diffused through the island. This is the smallest of the 

 West Indian species, with narrow willow-like leaflets, the fertile fronds 

 smaller than the barren, with narrower pinnae on rather longer stipites. 

 The plants are often submerged by the rising of the rivers in wet 

 weather, and the matted roots are developed to hold their position in. 

 the heavy drag of the rushing water on such occasions. 



2. M. serratum. — Cav. — Rootstock strong, decumbent, short-creeping; 

 stipites contiguous, erect, 2 - 3 ft. 1 ; channelled, naked, dark coloured 

 at the base, pale above ; fronds chartace >us, naked, or slightly ciliate 

 on the ribs and veins beneath, dark green, paler beneath, 2-4 ft, 1. f - 1^ ft. 

 w., with a distinct terminal pinna and numerous more or less distinct 

 spreading or erecto-spreading lateral ones, which are 4 - 9 in. 1. f - 1| 

 in. w., acuminate serrate or crenate-serrate margined, the base plain 

 rounded or cuneate and stipitate, rachis and costae stramineous, the 

 former puberulous on the face ; venation conspicuous on both sides, 

 areolae narrow, numerous ; sori sparse, becoming confluent and diffused 

 over the surface. 



Common in swampy ground at low elevations : most plentiful in the 

 western parishes ; more or less aquatic. A taller plant usually than 

 reticulatum, with more slender stems, and narrower pinnae with uni- 

 formly serrated margins. The latter is its most reliable character. 

 The pinnae often produce buds in the axils. The sori are less copious 

 in sporangia than in any of the other species, and it has a reddish tinge. 



3. M. reticulatum y SwtiTtz. — Rootstock stout, decumbent, short-creep- 

 ing; stipites tufted strong, erect, 1^-3 ft.l , naked, brown or pale coloured; 

 fronds 1^-3 ft. 1. 1-1| ft. w. oblong-lanceolate, subcoriaceous, naked, or 

 beneath puberulous, and paler than above, rachis strong, naked, light 

 ©r dark brown ; pinnse numerous spreading, 2-3 in. apart, oblique, the 

 lower ones largest, gradually reduced upwards to the similar free ter- 

 minal one,, the former 5-10in. 1. l-2£ in. w , broadest at the base, which 

 is rounded and stipitate or sessile, th-nce tapering outwards to the 

 acuminate point ; margins entire or slightly crenate ; venation con- 

 spicuous, areolae very numerous ; sori copious, confluent or nearly so. 

 PI. Fil. t. 110. Polypodium, Linn. 



Common in moist, generally open, or little shaded situations at low 

 elevations. A strong robust species, with about 10-15 pinnae to a side 

 which are generally large and broad at the base, from whence they 



