DESCRIPTIONS OF THE SPECIES 
273 
trifid, or even simple and lanceolate, four to six inches long, 
three-quarters to one inch broad, with a short glabrous stipe. 
In the less divided fronds the pinnae are shorter, more rounded 
at the apex, and confluent below, but in the largest condition, 
which occurs on the same plant, the four to six pairs of pinnae 
are quite separate, linear, one to four inches long, three lines 
broad, sharply pointed, entire or widely crenate, and with a 
widened and often decurrent adnate base. Lower pinnae 
longest, others gradually less ; terminal pinna four to five 
inches long, lanceolate, sinuate-crenate, pointed. Sori very 
large, in a straight line on each side of the mid-rib, one to 
each crenature of the margin, and sunk into the frond. Veins 
immersed but easily seen, the primary veins forming one line 
of large areolae along each side of the mid-rib ; outside this, 
veins run to the margin, or sometimes again anastomose, 
while inside the large areolae one free single vein (some- 
times with a loop on it) reaches as far as the centre, and there 
carries the sorus. 
Polypodium ensiforme. Thunb. Prod. 172 ; FI. Cap. 735 ; Schl. 
Adum. 19; Kze, Linn. 10, 500; Kuhn, Fil. Apr. 147; Hk. and Bkr, 
Syn. Fil. 341; Sim, Ferns of S. Apr., 1st ed., 195; C. Chr. Ind. 525. 
Marginaria ensiformis Presl. Pappe and Rawson, 39. 
Goniophlebium. F ee, Genera. 
South Africa only. 
West.- — Grootvadersbosch (Thunb.) ; Stofpad (Mund and Maire) ; 
Swellendam (Lady Barkly) ; Knysna (Ecklon ; Pappe; T. H. Rex, 
826) ; Millwood Gold Fields (Holland) ; Genadendal (Zeyher) ; 
Dokamma (Drege). 
East. — Kowie (Kresfelder). 
Kaff. — Not found. 
Natal. — Tugela (Gueinzius ; Krauss, 299). 
158. Polypodium phymatodes Linn. 
Plate 138. Nat. size. 
Rhizome rather stout, firm, procumbent, at first paleaceous 
with linear dark scales. Frond varying very much, pinnatifid 
or ovate, sub-coriaceous, glabrous, one-half to two feet long, 
S. F. S. A. 
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