January, 1939 The Queensland Naturalist 
23 
roaches. Amongst the latter, indeed, there is a multi- 
coloured form very common in Queensland (only, so far) 
and often seen in houses, hotels and restaurants, quick- 
jumping and difficult to catch; the male, which I have 
just succeeded in rearing, is so much like another from 
the eggs of 'roaches in Africa (Ferriere, 1930), that upon 
reading of the latter I was astounded to find them dis- 
tinct. How rich in Australia is this grand group which I 
have succeeded in monographing! I mean the whole 
super-family, over three thousand strong. 
THE RASP FERNS OF AUSTRALIA. 
By D. A. Goy, Botanic Museum and Herbarium, Brisbane. 
Among the most common of all Australian ferns are 
the Rasp Ferns or Doodias, so named on account of the 
scabrous or prickly nature of the fronds. Most of the 
species are common in the eastern portion of the continent 
from Cape York to Tasmania, but one — Doodia maxima 
— is confined to New South Wales. They relish the shade 
and dampness of the rain-forest tracks and clearings, 
forming a dense growth on the * ‘ scrub" floor. In drier 
forest country Rasp Ferns are often found completely 
covering shady creek banks, Z). aspera commonly forming 
a pure dense stand, though frequently this species is inter- 
mixed with D. media and the polymorphic D. caudata . 
Some of the forms prefer the very dry open Eucalyptus 
forest, and in such places the plants are usually more 
scattered and the fronds of a more rigid coriaceous, 
character. 
GENERIC DESCRIPTION. 
Sori oblong, superficial, usually curved, arranged in 
one or two rows on each side of and parallel to the costa, 
distinct or confluent and covering most of the under 
surface Lomaria- like; indusium of the same shape as the 
sorus, laterally attached to the veinlet and opening in- 
wardly. 
Rhizome erect; stipes tufted, robust, not articulate to 
the rhizome; fronds deeply pinnatifid or pinnate; veins 
anastomosing, forming one or two rows of areolae between 
the midrib and margin. 
KEY TO THE SPECIES. 
Fronds pinnatifid, the segments all adnate 
to the rhachis or the lowermost pair 
free and often elongated. 
Sori in 1 row on each side of and ap- 
