Ferns of British India and Ceylon. 133 
coriaceous, pinnated; pinnae erect-patent, rather distant, 6-1 2-14 
inches long, i-if wide, oblong or elongate-oblong, sessile, obUquely 
cuneate at the base, entire, upper ones much decurrent, but (except 
the two upper ones) not coadunate ; the apex suddenly and sharply 
acuminated ; several of the lowest pairs abortive, reduced to small 
hard scales; the surface glossy; veins obscure, compact, parallel ; sori 
close to the costa continuous, narrow-Hnear ; involucres also very 
narrow and indistinct. Wall. Cat n. 2172. Hook. Sp. Fil. iii. 53, 
and Syn. Fil. p. 187. Bedd. F. B. I. t. 249. 
Penang and the Malay Peninsula. {Perhaps only a very broad- 
leaved form of orte7ifale.) 
GENUS XXXVL— BLECHNIDIUM. {Moore.) 
(Resemblance to Blechnum.) 
Like Blechnum, but the veins anastomosing and forming large 
arched areoles. 
I, Blechnidium melanopus. {Hook, vnder Blechnum^ Stipes 
black erect, 6 inches long, naked ; fronds broadly falcate-lanceolate, 
glossy, sub-coriaceous, pinnate ; pinnae very approximate from a rather 
broad adnate base, linear-oblong falcate, somewhat acute, the margin 
entire, narrowly revolute, uppermost ones gradually confluent into a 
lanceolate elongated lobe, the lowest 3-4 pair suddenly diminished, 
short, very obtuse, sub-auriculate at the superior base ; veins internal 
reticulated, forming large angled areoles next the costa, narrower 
oblique ones often extending to the margin ; ultimate veinlets free 
and clavate at their apex just within the margin ; sori quite close to 
the costa, continuous, not reaching to the apex of the pinnae, lower 
half of the rachis beneath black. Hook. Sp. Fil. iii. 64. Syn. Fil. 
p. 186. Bedd F. B. I. f. 50. 
Khasya Hills. 
