DESCRIPTIONS OF THE SPECIES 
97 
D. mollis is a widely distributed plant, having many 
varieties in different parts of the world, and found throughout 
Africa, though evidently rare in Cape Colony. 
Kuhn, and P. and R., refer Asp. patens Schl. to this species, 
but there is nothing in either description to indicate that it 
is not D. Bergiana , which is abundant in the locality given 
(Table Mountain), while I have seen no specimen of this 
from that part of the colony. 
Dryopteris mollis (Jacq.). Hieron. Hedwigia 46, 348 : 1907 ; C. Chr. 
Index Fil. Suppl. 1906-1912, 36. 
Dryopteris parasitica (Linn.). O. Ktze, Rev. Gen. PI. 2, 811 : 1891 ; 
C. Chr. Index Filicum, 282. 
Neph. molle Desv. Hk. and Bkr, Syn. Fil. 293 ; Buchanan’s List, 
No. 92 ; Sim, Ferns of South Africa , 1st ed., 178. 
Aspidium molle (Sw.). Kuhn, Fil. Afr. 136. 
Polypodium jnolle. Jacq. Coll. 3, 188. 1789. 
Former collectors mostly gave this name to specimens of 
D. mauritiana Fee, and Kuhn mentions Bergius, Mund and 
Maire, Ecklon and Zeyher, Drege, and others as collectors 
of his Aspidium molle at the Cape; but I have seen no located 
specimens from either of these, nor any specimen from the 
east or west province. D. Bergiana and D. mollis were also 
confused by early collectors. 
Kaff. — Perie Forest. 
Natal. — Moist and shady places on the coast, and common from 
Inanda to Umpumulo (Buchanan) ; Sweetwaters, Zwaartkop and 
Karkloof (T. R. Sim). 
Transvaal. — (Buchanan, Lady Barkly) ; Rosehaugh (J. M. Sim). 
Rhodesia.— Matabeleland (Oates) ; Zambesia (Kirk) ; near Victoria 
Falls, 3000 ft (Allen ; J. Sim) ; in rain forest at Victoria Falls 
(Eyles, 95 ; Rogers, 5053) ; Mazoe, common in places (F. Eyles) ; 
Umtali (Engler) ; Chirinda, 3700 — 4000 ft (Swynnerton, 864, 865, 
86 7, 868, 869, 870). 
21. Dryopteris gongylodes (Schk.) O. Ktze. 
Plate 13. Nat. size. 
Rhizome long, creeping underground, black, slender, palea- 
ceous. Frond pinnate, coriaceous, glabrous, or slightly villose 
on the underside, ovate oblong, one and a half to two feet 
S. F. S. A. 
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