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The Queensland Naturalist January, 1938 
scales. Segments aristate- 
toothed. 
D. — R hizome creeping. 
Scales pale, twisted 
and hairlike 2. aristatum 
DD. — Rhizome tufted. Scales 
dark, flat, linear-lan- 
ceolate 3. carvi folium 
BB. — Fronds 3-4-pinna te, finely div- 
ided into narrow segments. 
Rhachis exceedingly scabrous 
and hispid with spreading hair- 
like scales 6. hispid uni 
AA. — Margins of the fronds obtusely toothed or lobed. 
E. — Costae of pinnules elevated 
on upper surface. Fronds 
coriaceous, not brittle 
when dried 4. adiantiforme 
EE. — Costae of pinnules elevated 
on lower surface. Fronds 
subcoriaceous, very brittle 
when dried 5. fragile 
DESCRIPTION OF SPECIES. 
1. P. aculeatum (L.) Schott Gen. Fil. ad t. 9. 1834. 
Aspidium aculeatum Sw. ; Benth. FI. Austr. VII. 757 
(1878), F. M. Bailey Queensl. FI. VI. 1977 
(1902). 
Rhizome erect or suberect, short and stout, scaly. 
Stipes robust, tufted, 10-20 cm. long, when young densely 
clothed, especially at the base, with large ovate-lanceo- 
late, dark-brown, shining scales intermixed with paler 
fibrillose scales. Fronds without the stipes 15-30 cm. long, 
7-20 cm. broad, 2-3-pinnate, deltoid-lanceolate, acuminate. 
Texture coriaceous; surfaces naked or the under surface 
sparsely fibrillose. Rhachis clothed with deciduous scales 
(as on the stipes). Primary pinnae numerous, close, 
linear-lanceolate, the basal pair longest (5-10 cm.), the 
rhachis fibrillose. Secondary pinnae shortly petiolulate, 
