44 
THE FERN WORLD OF AUSTRALIA. 
Var. Sieberi. Rhizome short, almost erect. Fronds tufted, 
erect, oblong in outline, from a few inches to one and a half feet 
high, and one to three inches broad, sori punctiform often very 
dark. The most common form in southern Queensland. 
Var. nudiuscula. Rhizome short. Fronds tufted near the form 
of V. Sieberi, but of a more coriaceous texture and densely pubescent. 
Sori broader and more of a brown color. Found usually on the 
borders of creeks in tropical Queensland. 
C. caudata, R. Br. Supposed to be only another variety of C. 
tenuifolia, but little known at present. Frond six to eight inches 
long, slender, bipinnate at least at the base, the pinn^ not 
numerous, all, whether primary or secondary, ending in a narrow- 
linear pinnule, usually at least half an inch long, continuous or in- 
terrupted at the base, and soriferous throughout, the few segments 
at the base of the pinnae shortly linear. Endeavour River, Port 
Bowen and Gilbert River, Queensland. 
XXV. — -Pteris, Linnaeus. 
Rhizome creeping, or short thick and erect, or horizontal. Fronds 
usually large and compound rarely small or simple. Veins simple 
forked or anastomosing, with or without a midrib. Sori linear, 
continuous or slightly interrupted along the margin of the segment 
with a continuous narrow membranous indusium proceeding from 
the margin and opening along the inner or lower edge. Spore- 
cases inserted on the frond under the indusium. Name derived 
from the Greek pteryx, a wing, or pteron, a feather, alluding to the 
graceful feather like fronds of some species. 
P. geraniifolia, Raddi. Rhizome tufted. Fronds broadly 
rounded cordate in outline, two to four inches long and broad 
coriaceous, tripartite, the lateral divisions divaricate", all deeply 
pinnatifid, the lower segments again pinnatifid, the upper ones short 
and entire; lobes all obtusely lanceolate or ovate, stipes and 
principal veins black, the latter forked but mostly concealed in the 
substance of the frond. Sori continuous on the lobes. Met with 
in various parts of tropical Queensland, also in the swamps off the 
Brisbane River ; and New Englaiid, N. S. Wales. 
P: paradoxa, Baker. Rhizome shortly creeping. Fronds six 
to eighteen inches high, pinnate, stipes dark clothed with appressed 
narrow scales. Pinnie often on young plants of this and the next 
species only one and that more or less cor(iate. On the larger 
fronds five to eleven or more, shortly petiolulate, ovate lanceolate, 
one and a half to three inches long, the terminal one often .lobed, 
coriaceous, dull green above, often glaucous beneath. Veins free 
dichotomous, oblique from the midrib but mostly concealed in the 
substance of the frond. Sori very broad continuous all round the 
pmn«. Indusium not so thin as in some species, soon concealed 
under the sori. Common in south Queensland scrubs, and a few 
of the more northern. Also in New England, Port Jackson, 
Richmond and Tweed River scrubs, N. S. Wales. 
