1 66 THE FERNS OF SOUTH AFRICA 
three to four lines broad, which again are cut to the mid-rib 
into two to three pairs of alternate segments, of which the 
upper are linear-oblong, pointed, one line long, half line 
broad; and the lower are broader, flabellately two to three 
lobed, and narrowed to the base. The lower segment on 
the upper side is nearer the pinna rachis than that on the 
lower side, and the pinnule is thus unequal sided. Sori on 
the veins ; one near the base of each simple segment, and 
opening toward the point of the pinnule ; two to three face 
to face on the flabellate segments, short, frequently curved, 
and not reaching near the margin. Frond glabrous, quite 
destitute of scales, and thinly herbaceous in texture. Rachis 
slender, brown, slightly green, margined. A most graceful 
fern found only in tropical Africa, but very closely allied to the 
American A.cicutarium Sw., under which it was formerly placed. 
In Hk. and Bkr, Syn. Fil ., 1st edition, A. rhizophyllum 
Kunze is also credited as sent by Sanderson from Natal ; 
but in 2nd edition this locality is omitted, and Lady Barkly 
and Buchanan both trace it to his A. cicutarium , which is the 
present species. 
A. abyssinicum. Fee, Gen. 199, 1850-52; C. Chr. Index , 98. 
A. cicutarium Sw. Hk. and Bkr, Syn. Fil. 220; Kuhn, Fil. Afr. 99;, 
Sim, Ferns of S. Ajr ., 1st ed., 155. 
Transvaal. — Magalisberg (Sanderson). 
Rhodesia. — Umtali (J. F. Darling, Mrs Bennett); Chirinda Forest,, 
3100 — 4000 ft (Swyn. 819); Zambesi, near Victoria Falls (J. Sim);. 
Rhodesia (B. H. Holland). 
78. Asplenium DrBgeanum Kze. 
Plate 67. Nat. size. 
Crown erect, tufted, slightly paleaceous, with brown scales, 
or almost naked. Fronds herbaceous, glabrous, tender, lan- 
ceolate, acuminate, six to fifteen inches long, one to one and 
a half inches broad, with a slender green rachis, and a stipe 
three inches long. The frond produces a proliferous bud 
below the terminal pinnule, and has fifteen to thirty pairs 
of shortly stalked pinnae, one-half to three-quarter inch long, 
half inch broad, cut to the mid-rib into one to three pairs of 
simple linear pinnules, besides the lower one on the upper 
