132 
THE FERNS OF SOUTH AFRICA 
naked rachis, and a stipe six inches long, which has abundant, 
very long, narrow, brownish scales below, suddenly decreasing 
in size and number upward. Pinnae alternate, lanceolate, acu- 
minate, three to four inches long, three-quarters to one inch 
broad, not increasing in width at the base, cut throughout 
into regular ovate-oblong, oblique pinnules, three to four 
lines long, one and a half to two lines broad, which are 
finely toothed, or slightly lobed below. Sori several on a 
pinnule, very short, varying from straight to nearly crescent- 
shaped. 
Athyrium filix-femina (Linn.). Roth, Rom. Mag. 2 1 , 106, 1799 ; 
C. Chr. Ind. 142. 
Polypodiion filix-femina Linn. Sfi. 2, 1090. 1753. 
Asplenium filix-femina. Bernh. 1806; Hk. and Bkr, Syn. Fil. 227; 
Sim, Ferns of S. Afr. 1st ed. 160. 
An almost cosmopolitan species, which in Europe has 
broken into innumerable ^varieties, some of which are very 
distinct and permanent, and others crested or depauperate. 
What in Africa are known as A. filix-femina, A. Schimperi 
and A. scandicinum are closely connected forms, which, if 
well known in growth, would most likely be found to be in- 
separable in nature as species, but the two former being rare, 
and mostly known from a few dried specimens, the separation 
must still be retained. 
The specimens from which our figure and the above 
description are taken were found by Buchanan on the top 
of the Drakensberg, and are preserved in the Government 
Herbaria in Cape Town and Natal. Wood quotes from 
Buchanan — “Very like A. Schimperi , but cut somewhat more 
finely, without any pink tint in its rachis, and with a perfectly 
upright rhizome.” 
Lady Barkly claims to have found it in Basutoland, but 
the specimens in her collection are A. scandicinum. 
“ It grows in the full blaze of the sun, and away from 
water, in the margin of the bush on the heights above 
Karkloof and Riet Vlei, Natal.” (Buchanan.) 
Natal. — As above. 
Rhodesia. — Penahalonga Forest (Mrs Bennett); Umtali (Holland). 
