DESCRIPTIONS OF THE SPECIES 
75 
Filicum Baker, in dealing with three of these which are hardly 
distinguishable, puts one into Gymnogramme and two into 
Asplenium, with the character “ involucre very rudimentary.” 
In our first edition this was included in Gymnogramme. 
84. Ceterach cordatum (Thbg) Desv. 
Plate 73. Fig. 1. Rock-grown plant, nat. size, b Fertile pinna; Fig. 2, 
Frond grown in shade; Fig. 3, Var. Namaquensis. c Pinna of 
same, enlarged. Plate 141. Fig. 2, Var. pmnatijidum. 
Crown sub-erect, paleaceous. Frond lanceolate or ovate- 
lanceolate, pinnatifid, pinnate or two-pinnatifid, herbaceous 
or sub-coriaceous, glabrous on the upper surface, densely 
clothed with ovate-lanceolate reddish scales on the under 
surface, three to eight inches long, one to two inches broad, 
with a short paleaceous stipe. Pinnae ovate or ovate-oblong, 
the upper confluent ; the lower rounded or cordate at the 
base, cut halfway to the mid-rib or more (or less) into rounded, 
toothed, decurrent lobes. Veins flabellate in the lobes, with 
the oblong sori mostly nearly parallel with the mid-rib. 
Rock-grown specimens correspond entirely with the 
European Ceterach officinarum D. C. (— AspL ceterach Linn, 
of Syn. Fil .), while plants grown under bush are widely 
different, but there is every gradation between. 
In Ceterach officinarum D. C. the veins anastomose more 
or less, while in our plant they are generally free ; but plants 
with some veins united are not uncommon. Though there 
is no true indusium in this species, there is a row of scales 
covering the sori, and the whole under surface is more or 
less thickly set with scales. It varies a good deal, rock- 
grown specimens being three inches long or less, leathery 
in texture and densely scaly; while under trees or bushes 
it becomes six to nine inches long, thinly membranaceous 
in texture, and with very few scales. In some specimens it 
is also more deeply cut than in others. It curls up when 
dry and again unfolds when damp in the same way as Poly- 
podium polypodioides. Dr Atherstone’s specimens from Currie’s 
Kloof are much more shaggy than usual, with brown scales a 
quarter inch long. 
