2 y 8 
THE FERNS OF SOUTH AFRICA 
161. Polypodium lanceolatum Linn. 
Plate 142. Nat. size, small. 
Plate 143. Var. sinuatum. Nat. size. 
Rhizome very long, epiphytal, slender and wiry, slightly 
branched, clothed in adpressed, lanceolate, dark scales. Fronds 
simple, linear-lanceolate, coriaceous, entire, rather obtuse, but 
tapering to both ends, especially to the base, four to twelve 
inches long, half inch broad, with a paleaceous, or sometimes 
naked, wiry stipe, one to six inches long. The upper surface 
of the frond is often almost glabrous, and the underside and 
stipe are more or less paleaceous with minute peltate scales, 
which are black in the centre and lighter outside. Sori large, 
mostly in the upper part of the frond, and sunk into it in a row 
on each side of the mid-rib. Veins obscure, forming areolae 
with free veinlets ; margin often inflexed. The scales on the 
frond are similar to those of P. polypodioides , but vary very 
much in number, and the size of the frond also varies. In 
strong growing forest plants the fronds are six to twelve 
inches long, with a wiry stalk, and only a few scattered scales;, 
but in rock-grown plants, exposed to sunshine, the fronds are 
only two to three inches long, with short stalks, and are 
densely covered with scales. 
Schlechtendal mentions vars. latifolium and angustifolium , 
but they are not distinct with us. 
Polypodium lanceolatum Linn. Hk. and Bkr, Syn. Fil. 356; Kuhn, 
Fil. Apr. 147; Sim, Ferns of S. Afr ., 1st ed., 201; C. Chr. Ind. 5 37. 
Polypodium lepidotum Willd. Hk. Sp. 5, 56; Schl. Admn. 17, tab. 8; 
Kze, Linnaea , 10, 497. 
Pleopeltis ensifolia Carm. Hk. Ex. Fil. pi. 62. 
Pleopeltis lepidota Presl. Pappe and Rawson, 40. 
A small specimen in Herb. Gub. is named “ Polypodium 
Zeyheri Sieb., No. 261.” 
Tropical and sub-tropical America, India, Africa and 
islands. Usually epiphytal. 
West. — Table Mountain (Bergius) ; Paradise, Swellendam, George 
(Rawson); Grootvadersbosch (Drege); Knysna (Pappe). 
East. — Krakakamma, Bontjes River, Uitenhage, Winterberg (Drege); 
Albany. 
