THE FERN WORLD OF AUSTRALIA. 
65 
it only differs in the entire absence of indusium and in the longer 
more aculeate marginal teeth. 
Var. tropica. This fern has been thought to be identical with 
the species called by Blume P. rufescens. It differs slightly from 
P. aspidioides in wanting the gloss on the upper surface of frond 
and being less divided, also the marginal teeth are at times wanting 
and the obtuse pinnule only crenulated, a soft pubescence with a 
reddish tinge covers the whole frond ; all these variations might be 
due to climate, the form only being met with in the tropics. Ranges 
Trinity Bay, Queensland. 
Series II. — Synneura. Veins pinnate under each lobe of the 
pinnee, the branches simple, uniting with corresponding branches 
of the vein of the adjoining lobe. Sori usually placed towards the 
end of the upper branches of the series. 
P. proliferum, Presl. Rhizome shortly creeping. Fronds weak, 
one to two or more feet long, proliferous at the apices and axils of 
the pinnae, thus widely extending, pinnate. Pinn^ lanceolate, one 
to four inches long, often interrupted by the formation of the 
axillary plants, shortly and regularly pinnatifid with obtuse rounded 
lobes, sonetimes almost reduced to crenatures, broadly truncate at 
the base. Veins pinnate to each lobe, the branches or veinlets of 
adjoining lobes uniting in a vein leading to the sinus. Sori in two 
rows to each lobe, sometimes only at the end, sometimes reaching 
almost to the midrib of pinnae. Albert River, North Australia ; 
very abundant in tropical Queensland, on the edge of rivers and 
swamps ; also in a few places in Southern Queensland, and the 
Clarence River, N. S. Wales. 
P. urophyllum, Wall. Rhizome creeping, often several inches 
below the surface. Fronds two to four feet long on a stipes often 
nearly as long, pinnate, more or less glandular-pubescent underneath. 
Pinnse six inches to nearly one foot long, one to two inches broad, 
acuminate, regularly and broadly crenate or shortly lobed, rounded 
or truncate at the base. Primary veins leading to the lobes numerous 
and parallel, pinnate, the branches or veinlets uniting in an inter- 
mediate vein leading to the sinus. Sori orbicular in two regular 
rows betveen each primary veins, extending from the midrib of the 
pinnse to the margin. Ranges about Rockingham Bay, Daintree 
River, and Cape York Peninsula. In venation this species resem- 
bles Meniscium cuspidatum, Blume. 
P. Hillii, Baker. Rhizome creeping. Fronds one and a half feet 
high, pinnate, densely and softly hirsute all over. Pinnse about 
nine, the three terminal ones small, the others oblong, four to six 
inches long, one and a half to two inches broad, pinnately crenate 
or shortly lobed, but not so regularly so as in P. urophyllum. 
Parallel primary pinnate veins leading to the lobes, the branches or 
venules uniting in an intermediate vein reaching the sinus. Sori 
as in P. urophyllum, in two rows between each two primary veins, 
reaching from the iriidrib to the margin, but not close. Very little 
is known of this fern, it having only once been met with, few 
K 
