62 
THE PERN WORLD OF AUSTRALIA. 
bling A. decompositum. Segments obtusely or acutely toothed or 
lobed very regular. Veins pinnate, venules free. Sori close to the 
margin round which it usually forms a line. Indusium orbicular- 
reniform, large, or quite small on fronds from the same rhizome. 
Found in many Queensland scrubs from Brisbane to Kockhampton ; 
also at the Richmond, Bellinger and Tweed Kivers in N. S. 
Wales. 
Var. apieale. Lord Howe's Island, N. S. Wales. This form 
differs but little from the typical plant. 
A. tenericaule, Thw. Rhizome short and thick or creeping. 
Fronds one to three feet long on a stipes of one to two feet, twice 
pinnate, the larger primary pinnaa six to eight inches long. Pin- 
nules lanceolate, one to one and a half inch long on the larger 
pinnae, very deeply pinnatifid with numerous lanceolate lobes one to 
three hues long, all more or less decurrent, ciHate on the margins as 
well as the principal veins and rhachis with rigid white hairs or 
bristles. Veins branched in each lobe but free. Sori one to six in 
each lobe, small and distinct with few spore-cases, or larger and con- 
fluent. Indusium very small and only to be seen on young sori. 
Queensland, Rockingham Bay, Bowen, and Daintree RivcT. N. 
S. Wales, Clarence River. The Flora Australiensis speaks of the 
above fern having been found at these places, but probably there is 
some mistake, for the form found near Brisbane, and which has been 
taken for it, is a true Polypodium and as such will be found in this 
work as P. pallidum. 
A. hispidum, Sw. Rhizome thick, creeping, covered with brown 
scales. Fronds one to two feet long, broadly ovate or triangular in 
outline, usually tripinnate with acuminate pinnge, the stipes stout 
and with the primary and secondary rhachis hispid with long fine 
spreading dark colored hairs or bristles. Pinnules lanceolate deeply 
pinnatifid, quarter to half an inch long, deeply and sharply toothed. 
Veins sohtary on each lobe or tooth. Sori solitary on the smaller 
segments or lobes. Indusium orbicular, attached by a lateral sinus 
or almost peltate. Found on the Cape Otway Ranges, Victoria. 
B. No indusium. 
XXXIII. — Polypodium, Linn. 
Rhizome creeping in nearly all the Australian species with small 
brown scales with a broad adnate base and more or less acute or 
subulate points. Fronds simple pinnate or compound. Sori 
orbicular very rarely oblong, variously dispersed over the under 
surface, without indusium. Name derived from the Greek and 
literally means many footed, and said to be given on account of the 
early stages of growth being supposed to be similar in appearence 
to the feelers of a Polypus. 
Series I. Dianeura. — Veins pinnate, the venules diverging 
from a midrib, simple or forked, the branches free. Sori inserted 
on a simple branch or fork, the other fork often again forked. 
P. austraie, Metten. Rhizome short, sub-erect, scaly. Fronds 
