VH. LASTF.E.\. 121 
convolute at the margin. The stipes is about as long as 
the leafy part of the frond, and clothed, sparingly except 
at the base, with obtusely ovate scales, which terminate in 
a little point, and are uniformly pale brown, and almost 
diaphanous. The fronds are bipinnate, oblong-lanceolate, 
several of the lower pairs of pinnae being usually of about 
the same length, and placed at an acute angle with respect 
to the main rachis. The pinnules are detached, often 
distant, oblong, more or less deeply pinnatifid, some of the 
basal ones on the lower pinnae being almost pinnate, and 
attached by their narrow stalk-like base, which is slightly 
decurrent ; they become more and more decurrent towards 
the points of the pinnae. One or two of the inferior basal 
pinnules on the lower pinnae are considerably larger than 
the corresponding superior ones, giving these pinnae an 
obliquely elongate triangular figure; the second pan- of 
pinnae exhibits a similar discrepancy, in a less degree ; 
but the difference in the size of the pinnules is not equally 
marked in all cases. The lobes of the pinnules are sharply 
toothed or serrated, the teeth ending in short spinous 
mucronate points. The sinuous mid-vein sends off a branch 
to each lobe of the pinnule ; these lateral veins are more 
or less forked, a venule leading to each serrature, termi- 
nating within the margin, the anterior one bearing a sorus 
which is situated just within the sinus of the lobe. The 
sori thus form a line on each side the mid- vein and slightly 
distant from it. In the larger pinnules, which are divided 
almost down to the mid-vein, each vein runs up the centre 
of a lobe, sending out another series of simple alternate 
venules, several of which bear a sorus. The sori are 
nearly circular, usually small and distinct, though often 
crowded, covered by a flat reniform persistent indusium, 
the margin of which is waved, quite entire, and without 
glands ; sometimes they become confluent on plants grow- 
ing in exposed situations. The fructification is usually 
but not always confined to the upper portion of the fronds. 
The normal form of the species is a very local plant, 
