280 
THE FERNS OF SOUTH AFRICA 
scales, which become afterwards nearly white. Fronds lanceo- 
late, glabrous, coriaceous, three to five inches long, one-half to 
three-quarter inch broad, tapering slowly to the base, and 
slightly decurrent on the short petiole. Mid-rib distinct ; 
other veins obscure, but forming large medial areolae, con- 
taining a free vein, which arises from the top of a smaller 
costal areola, and on which the sorus is terminal. One or 
more small irregular areolae lie outside the large ones. Sori in 
a single row on each side of the mid-rib, large, medial, round, 
and extending from the apex to the base of the frond. Barren 
frond wider and more rounded than the fertile. 
Polypodium lycopodioides. Linn. Sp. 2, 1082 (1753); Kze, Linnaea, 
13, 132; Hk. and Bkr, Syn. Fil. 357; Kuhn, Fil. Apr. 149; Sim, 
Ferns of S. Apr., 1st ed., 202; C. Chr. Ind. 542. 
Pleopeltis lycopodioides Presl. Pappe and Rawson, 40. 
Tropical America, Africa and islands; growing as an 
epiphyte on trees and rocks. 
Natal.— Coast to Inanda (Wood); Kruisfontein, Tongaat, Umbilo, 
Umhlatuzana (McKen); coast, common (Buchanan); Durban, 20 ft 
(R. Schl. 2965). 
Var. j3. Mackenii Sim. 
Plate 144. Fig. 2. Nat. size. 
Rhizome epiphytal, flattened, and closely adherent to the 
tree stems, a quarter to half inch broad, and covered with 
spreading lanceolate, hair-pointed, brownish, persistent scales, 
which afterwards become lighter in colour. Frond herbaceous 
or sub-coriaceous, glabrous, ovate-oblong, four to eight inches 
long, one to one and a half inches broad, rather obtuse at the 
apex, and the base rounded to the short stipe or slightly de- 
current. Fertile fronds narrower. Veins and sori as in the 
type, but the free vein in the medial areolae is often branched 
several times, with branches free, or forming small areolae. 
When in active growth the rhizome sometimes extends a foot 
or more before fronds appear. 
This was described as a species by Baker in Synopsis 
Filicum and is maintained by Christensen, but is only a form 
