DESCRIPTIONS OF THE SPECIES 283 
Tropical India, Australia, Africa and its islands; growing 
on the ground, or epiphytal on trees. 
Kafif. — Mouth of St John’s River (Sir H. Barkly; Flanagan, 2469 ; 
Dr Kolbe); Umzimvubu (Drege). 
Natal. — Coast districts to Inanda (Wood); common to 500 feet alt. 
(Buchanan); Palmiet River, near Clare (McKen); Durban (R. Schl. 
3161, distributed as Acrostichum sp.). 
Rhodesia. — Umtali (Mrs Bennett). 
Portuguese East Africa. — Macequece (Holland); Zambesiland (Kirk). 
Genus 41. Cyclophorus Desv. 
Sori numerous, densely placed all along the upper part 
of the frond, and nearly covered by the stellate tomentum. 
A small genus, formerly included in Polypodium, and con- 
taining about 63 species. 
166. Cyclophorus africanus (Kze) C. Chr. 
Plate 145. Fig. 1. Frond, nat. size. 1 B Plant on tree stem, 
much reduced. 
Rhizome epiphytal, running, branching, three to six inches 
long, one to two lines diameter, green, but covered with 
spreading, ovate-lanceolate, light brown, ciliated scales, one- 
third inch long, which are persistent after the old fronds have 
fallen. Fronds two to eighteen inches long, one-half to one 
inch broad, alternate on the rhizome, to which they are 
articulated, pendent, linear-lanceolate, often falcate, thick and 
coriaceous in texture; the margin revolute; both surfaces at 
first densely covered with rufous stellate pubescence, which is 
permanent on the underside, though afterwards white, while 
from the upper surface it almost entirely disappears where 
exposed. Veins obscure, but in long, regular, nearly equal 
areolae, with few free veins. Sori numerous, densely placed 
all over the upper part of the frond, and nearly covered by 
the tomentum. 
Kunze made vars. major and minor of this, but both grow 
together with every intermediate. 
Polypodium jissum Baker, which Baker mentions ir. New 
Ferns , page 90, as being found in the Zambesi highlands, 
appears to be too near C. africanus , the main difference being 
