DESCRIPTIONS OF THE SPECIES 
89 
indusium being torn is not mentioned in Syn. Fil., and the 
figure (tab. II. fig. 19) shows it ovate pointed ; but it is 
similar to ours in the British plant as described in Sir J. E. 
Smith’s English Flora , though in Sir W. J. Hooker’s British 
Flora, 5th edition, and several later works, it is described 
differently. 
Cystopteris fragilis (Linn.) Bernh. Schrad. Neu. Jour. 1806; Pappe 
and Rawson, 16; Kuhn, Fit. Afr. 144 ; Hk. and Bkr, Syn. Fil. 103 ; 
Sim, Ferns of S. Africa , 1st ed., 66; C. Chr. Index Filicum, 203. 
Aspidium fragile Sw. Schk. Ic. Fil. tab. 54 — 56. 
Almost throughout the temperate zones, and on high 
mountains between ; growing in very close damp deep 
ravines, or by streams under thick bush, or under drip in 
open waterfalls. 
East. — Bedford and Katberg (Holland), Kat River Mountains (Ecklon), 
Boschberg (MacOwan). 
Kaff. — Above Perie Mission Station, and abundant in a rocky stream 
at Poutz’ Forest, Izeli, 4000 feet alt.; Broughton, Molteno, 6300 ft 
(Flanagan, 1676); Engcoba (Flanagan, 2715). 
Natal. — Greytown to Drakensberg (Wood), not under 3000 feet alt. 
(Buchanan); Umzimkulu, 4000 ft (R. Schlechter, 6638) ; Buccleuch 
(W. Leighton) ; Benvie, Karkloof (Marriott) ; Sweetwaters (Prof. 
Bews) ; Zwaartkop ; Wellington, Rosetta; Giant’s Castle, etc. (T. R. 
Sim). 
Rhodesia. — Lo Magundi, near Hanyani River (H. M. Hole). 
** Aspidieae. 
Genus 7. DRYOPTERIS Adanson. 
Stipe continuous with the rhizome, not jointed ; fronds 
pinnate or decompound ; pinnae not articulated ; veins free, 
or those from neighbouring pinnules meeting ; sori roundish 
or reniform (or in D. africana elongated) ; indusium usually 
present and kidney-shaped, attached by its sinus, but always 
absent in some species, and occasionally absent in some others. 
A large genus of over 700 species, difficult to segregate 
satisfactorily; it includes what in our first edition were the 
species of Nephrodium, as well as some from Polypodium 
and one from Gymnogramma. Formerly Nephrodium was 
distinguished from Polypodium by having an indusium present, 
but in some species that character was found to be fugacious 
