253 



Common below 2,000 or 3,000 ft. altitude, growing on tbe stems of 

 bushes and trees, generally near the ground. The fructification is > ery 

 variable, ranging from patches a quarter of an inch, to unbroken Hues 

 two or three inches long. The fronds with the longer lines of sori no 

 one would on first knowledge think of referring to any of the genera 

 above quoted, and therefore I think the species is best associated with 

 Tcenitis. Indeed narrow soriferous fronds might very readily be 

 taken for branches of T. Areata, Willd. so near is the likeness. 



2. T. angustifolia, R. Br. - Rootstock rather slender, repent, densely 

 clothed with dark, reticulated, hair-like, lacerate-edged, acuminate 

 scales ; fronds linear-lanceolate, suberect or pendent, approximate, or 

 rather tufted often, 1-1^ ft. 1. \ in. or rather over wide, long tapering 

 to the very acuminate apex, the same to the long-decurrent base, in which 

 the petiole is hardly distinct, coriaceous, naked, the upper side darker, 

 the margins entire, even, thin and rather reflexed. sometimes concealing 

 the sori, the midrib evident beneath, purple in the lower part ; veins 

 immersed, copiously reticulated in elongated areolae, which run parallel 

 with the costce and margins ; sori continuous or interrupted, slightly 

 within the margin, in a shallow or rather superficial groove falling 

 short of both apex and base PI. Fil. t. 140. Pteropsis, Desv. 



Frequent on the branches of trees close to rivers below 2,000 ft. alti- 

 tude. As in some of the species of Vittaria and other similar epiphy- 

 tal ferns which grow without soil or vegetable matter, the roots are densely 

 tomentose. The fronds resemble most those of Vittaria remota, but are 

 longer, more opaque, and may at once be distinguished by the netted 

 venation, which, however, is often quite concealed in the leathery opaque 

 substance. In a young state the thin reflexed margins or outer edges 

 of the grooves, more or less conceal the lines of sori, but at maturity they 

 are exposed and form dark submarginal bands. 



3. T. lanceolata, R., Br.- — Rootstock shortly repent with dense much 

 matted root fibre ; stipites approximate or apart, chestnut-brown, 1-2 in. 

 1., erect ; fronds erect, lanceolate, ^-1^ ft. 1 f -lj in. w. tapering both 

 ways, upwards to a long somewhat contracted fertile part, the base de- 

 current shortly more on one side than the other, coriaceous, stiff, naked, 

 glossy, dark green, midrib distinct, the same colour as the frond, margins 

 entire but repand; veins freely reticulated, forming oblique meshes 

 with free included veinlets ; sori marginal, confined to the upper part of 

 the fronds in continuous or interrupted marginal lines, superficial, or 

 very slightly impressed at first ; PI. Fil. t. 132. Pteris lanceolata, 

 Linn. Pteropsis, Desv. Paltonium, Presl. Neurodium, Fee. 



Frequent on trees at low elevations growing in erect spreading 

 patches, with densely matted roots. A broader, stiffer, and more lan- 

 ceolate species than the last, and definitely marked by the bands of sori 

 being more marginal and confined to the rather contracted upper third 

 or less of the fronds, and by the different venation which has rather 

 stronger main veins at intervals, with free included veinlets in the 

 meshes. The venation shows distinctly on the upper side. The mar- 

 gins are so repand that when dry they are quite wavy. 



Tribe XIII, Acrostiche^e. 

 Fronds usually dimorphous, covering a wide range in form, cutting 

 and habit, the fertile more or less contracted; sori usually diffused 



