DESCRIPTIONS OF THE SPECIES 25; 
as the species is otherwise unknown in South Africa, except 
in cultivation, it is assumed to have been a mistake.) 
144. Pteris biaurita Linn. 
Plate 127. Part of lower pinna. Nat. size. 
Crown procumbent, or with a short rhizome ; set with 
numerous short, brown, lanceolate scales. Frond two-pinnate 
or three-pinnatifid, glabrous, one to three feet long, one to 
two feet broad, on a nearly naked yellowish stipe one to two 
feet long. Pinnae about ten pairs, six to twelve inches long, 
one to one and a half inches broad, cut to near the mid-rib 
into linear, obtuse, entire, or slightly serrate pinnules; and with 
an attenuated, narrow, pointed, terminal pinnule. Terminal 
pinna similar to the others, but longer. Lower pinnae with 
two to four short similar pinnae on the lower side. Indusium 
narrow, membranaceous. Sori usually in the lower half of 
the pinnules only, but the upper half is quite entire. Along the 
mid-rib on the upper surface, this bears a strong prickle-like 
scale at the base of every side rib. Also about six of these 
scales are on the vein in each pinnule. Texture thin, but 
firm. Veinlets numerous, distinct, in most cases free, usually 
forked. The pinnae are not usually cut quite to the mid- 
rib, but so near that the lower veins from two neighbouring 
pinnae do not unite. However it is not rare to find specimens 
with some veins united. 
In our first edition the name P. quadriaurita was used for 
this, following the Synopsis Filicum , where P. quadriaurita 
Retz is included in section Eupteris (distinguished by having 
the veins free), and P. biaurita in section Campteria described 
thus : “ veins all free except that those of the last divisions but 
one are more or less connected by arching veins at the very based 
These distinctions have proved to be not constant enough even 
for specific difference, and so the two are united by Christen- 
sen under P. biaurita L. (P. quadriaurita being indicated as a 
variety). Lady Barkly united them under P. quadriaurita. 
There are evidently two forms of P. quadriaurita. All 
the Natal specimens I have seen are slightly serrate all 
s. f. s. A. 
1 7 
