x6o 
THE FERNS OF SOUTH AFRICA 
inches long, four to seven inches broad, with a channelled, 
green or brown naked stipe, four to six inches long. Pinnae 
mostly alternate, numerous, stalked, deltoid, sharp pointed, 
increasing in size downward ; the lowest three to four inches 
long, one and a half inches broad, with about five pairs of 
alternate, shortly stalked, deltoid pinnules, one-half to one 
inch apart. Pinnules cut to the mid-rib below, into nar- 
rowly cuneate, three-lobed segments, which have three to 
five sharp pointed divergent teeth on each lobe. Upper 
segments narrower, not lobed, slightly confluent, but similarly 
toothed ; and the pinnule pointed, with a few large alter- 
nate simple teeth. Sori one to two lines long, alternate, 
and near the mid-rib above, or two to three in each pinnule 
below. 
Kunze mentions two varieties, A. platyphyllum and A. 
stenophyllum. The latter is the form in our figure, the former 
is slightly broader in all its parts, and while evidently a form 
of A. solidum , it also comes very near A. adiantum-nigrum L., 
var. acutum , which, like this, has three to five long teeth with 
the central one longest, and which is well known as a 
European plant, and quoted in Moore’s Index as from South 
Africa, though this is the only representative of it I have seen. 
A. solidum resembles a Darea in the cutting, but has the sori 
facing inward, and not quite marginal. 
A. solidum. Kze, Linnaea , io, 520, 1836 ; Pappe and Rawson, 21 ; 
Moore’s Index , 169; Kuhn, Fil. Afr. 1 1 6 ; Hk. and Bkr, Syn. Fit. 
214; Sim, Ferns of South Africa , 1st ed., 150; C. Chr. Ind. 133. 
Darea mucro?iata. De Cand. Herb. 
This species grows under bushes, mostly among coast 
sands, and is rather rare. 
West. — George (Lady Barkly); Ruigte Valley (Drege); Port Elizabeth 
(Mrs T. V. Patterson, 820). 
East. — Algoa Bay (Forbes); Bushman’s River (Holland); Kowiemouth 
(MacOwan). 
Kaff. — Alice (Dr Stewart); Komgha (Flanagan); East London (T. R. 
Sim). 
Natal. — Near Peel’s, Umlaas (McKen); Durban sand dunes (T. R. 
Sim). 
