DESCRIPTIONS OF THE SPECIES 
69 
Widely distributed in the tropics and sub-tropics, including 
tropical Africa and its islands, in damp close places near 
streams. Stated in Syn. Fil. to belong to Cape Colony, but 
I have heard of no locality there for it. 
Natal.— Inanda (Dr Rehmann, 8193), Kranzkloof, Great Noodsberg, 
Umhlatine, Attercliffe (McKen), Umpumulo (Buchanan), Omsam- 
caba (Drege), Ngoya Forest, Zululand (Stayner). 
Transvaal. — Drakensberg near Macamac (J. H. McLea). Mamotsinri, 
common (Burtt-Davy, 210). 
2. Trichomanes PYXIDIFERUM Linn. 
Plate 3. Fig. 3. Nat. size, b Pinnule and Involucre, enlarged. 
Rhizome slender, branching, set with black shag. Frond 
one to four inches long, one inch broad, tripinnatifid, ovate- 
oblong, rounded at the point, and set on a slender wiry stalk, 
half-inch or more long. Rachis narrowly winged down to 
near the lowest pinnae. Pinnae longest at or above the middle 
of the frond, a half to three-quarter inch long, half inch broad 
at the base, cut in a pinnate or flabellate manner to the winged 
mid-rib, into narrow, linear, pinnatifid, dichotomous or forked 
membranaceous pinnules, having one vein in each segment. 
Margin not toothed. Sori terminal on the inner segments of 
the larger pinnae or axillary. Involucre cup-shaped, with a 
slightly expanded rim, generally more or less two-lipped, not 
toothed. Receptacle central, often much longer than the 
involucre, but bearing capsules only on the lower part. 
In general appearance this is very much like Hymeno- 
phyllum tunbridgense, from which it is distinguished by the 
involucre as well as by having the margin of the pinnules 
quite destitute of teeth. It also has a narrow green edging 
or wing down the side of the rachis, though this disappears 
in the lower part, and the slender rhizomes are matted with 
short black shag. It is seldom in such dense masses as the 
Hymenophyllum , has more widely spreading rhizomes, and 
grows among moss, on stones, trees, and on the ground in 
every damp part of the forest. When young the involucre 
is often compressed and the edges folded together so as to 
be two-lipped, and this is occasionally seen in older specimens 
