300 
THE FERNS OF SOUTH AFRICA 
PolyPodium linearis. Burm. FI. Ind. 235 (1768). 
Gleichenia dichotoma Willd. Kuhn, Fil. Afr. 167; Hk. and Bkr, Syn. 
Fil. 15 ; Sim, Fer?is of S. Afr. 1st ed. 45. 
Mertensia dichotoma. Kunze, Linnaea , 24, 247 ; Schk. Fil. tab. 148. 
Mesosorus. Hassk. 
Found throughout the tropics. 
Natal. — Discovered by Gueinzius {fide Kuhn), and re-discovered in 
1874 by Rev. J. Buchanan, at Umpumulo, “on moist open slope, 
facing south, in bush near the top of a hill, two miles W. by S. 
of the mission station, about 2500 feet”; near Inchanga (Dr J. M. 
Wood). 
Transvaal. — Mauchsberg to Sabie Valley (Burtt-Davy, 468) ; Hae- 
nertsberg (Eastwood) ; Rosehaugh (J. M. Sim) ; Woodbush (Mrs 
Pott, 4624). 
Rhodesia. — Umtali (Mrs Bennett, who states that it prefers shady 
banks overhanging water). 
Sub-Order VI. Schizaeaceae. 
Genus 47. Schizaea Smith. 
Barren frond grass-like ; fertile frond grass-like, with the 
small pinnate fertile segment at the top, the upper surface of 
the pinnules bearing the sessile capsules. 
A most curious and distinct genus, not at all fernlike, and 
having only a few species ; but they are widely distributed. 
Synopsis of the species : 
180. S. tenella. Barren fronds shorter than the fertile, which are 
slender, and have fertile segments less than a half inch long, bearing 
five to eight pairs of short pinnules. 
1 8 1. S. pectinata. Barren fronds equal in height to the fertile, which 
have fertile segment more than a half inch long, and having ten to 
fifteen pairs of pinnules. 
180. Schizaea tenella Kaulf. 
Plate 160. Fig. 1. Nat. size, b Large fertile segment. 
Rhizome tufted or shortly running, black, naked, wiry. 
Barren fronds two to three inches long, quarter line broad, 
flattened, pointed, twisted, coriaceous, narrowed below into a 
short, rigid, black, round stipe. Fertile fronds four to six 
inches long, rigid, wiry, black below, green upward, glabrous, 
and bearing at the summit the sub-erect fertile segment, which 
