TAB. y. 
Gymnoptekis quercifolia, Bernh. 
Frondibus ternatis, pinnis sterilibus membranaceis subciliatis 
lateralibus subcordato-lobatis sessilibus inaequilateralibus 
intermedia maxima petiolata oblongo-ovata sinuata lobata, 
fertili longe stipitata, stipite gracilimo, pinnis linearibus, 
stipitibus inferne praecipue squamosis, caudice repente. 
Gymnopteris quercifolia. — Bernh.-Presl. Tent, Pterid, p. 244. 
Acrostichum quercifolium, Betz, Obs. Bot, 6. p. 39. Sw. Syn. 
Fil. p, 12. Schkh. Fit, 2. t. 3. 
Osmunda trifida, Jacq, Coll. 3 . p. 281. t. 20. f. 3. 
Leptochilus quercifolius, Fee, Mem . sur la Fam. des Fougeres. 
p. 88. 
Hab. Ceylon, (Yahl.) Mrs. Genl. Walker , Gardner, n. 1170. 
Madras Peninsula, Dr. Wight, Herb. Propr . Cryptog. n. 46. 
China and Cochinchina, Moreau, Turanne , and Gaudichot , 
(according to Presl). 
A very peculiar looking and very distinct plant, represented 
long ago by Jacquin and by Schkuhr; but we cannot pay 
those authors the compliment to say they have figured it 
well or accurately. As to its genus, the most conservative 
Botanist will scarcely consider it can, with propriety, remain 
in Acrostichum. Bernhardi and Presl placed it in Gymnop- 
teris , but M. Fee refers this, with several other genera, to 
Leptochilus of Kaulfuss, distinguished according to M. Fee, 
a sporangiis universalibus, in duobus sulcis angustis nascent- 
ibus,” characters not very intelligible to us. Our present plant 
is remarkable for the length and slenderness of the fertile 
frond, and small size of the latter in comparison with the 
sterile one. 
Fig. 1. Portion of a sterile frond, f. 2, Portion of a fertile 
frond : — magnified. 
