FERNS OF NATAL. 
38 
P. irioides. 
Named most likely on account of the similarity of the fronds to the leaf of 
the Ins A large fern with simple elongated fronds, sometin.es 3 feet long 
and 1 to 3 inches broad, narrowed to both ends, the edges entire • both 
sides quite naked The venation is plainly visible on both surfaces of the 
frond, the mam veins, which reach the edge of the frond aiS coMec?ed bv 
laige cioss venules, interspersed with numerous free veinlets The sori nr! 
very small and copious, scattered irregularly, and chiefly confined to the 
upper portion of the frond. On account of its peculiar venation 
places this fern in a Section alone. It is found on shady rocks and trees 
fng at Inanda he * ’ ^ COnfined to tbe Coast districts, barely appear! 
P. phymatodes. 
This the typical species of the Section is found only near the 
though vve once found a solitary plant in a ravine at Inanda It has 1 
very woody, creeping rhizome, with a few dark brown scales, small sneci 
mens have sometimes simple fronds, but the more mature ones are usually 
cut into oblong acuminate segments; both sides naked. The sori which 
are sometimes oblong, are sunk in the substance of the frond, and are rather 
irregularly scattered During the process of drying this fern gives out an 
odour something like the scent used by the Kafirs and called by them 
Amaka. It is used in the South Sea Islands for scenting Cocoa-nut oil 
NOTHOCHL/ENA, 
( nothos , spurious ; chlrena, a covering, in allusion to the very 
imperfect indusium). 3 
A genus of ferns of which we have in Natal, 3 species; it is closely related 
to Polypodium , but differs on account of its small sori, which have but 
few capsules and which finally run together in lines near the marnin 
which is partially reflexed, it has also some affinity with Cheilanthes but the 
indusium present in that genus is wanting in Nothochlama. It is a small 
genus containing only about 30 species which are divided into 2 Sections 
«presen2S Natel °" r Sp ' CieS bel0D8 ' “ d Cincimli ‘ "Mch ilZi 
Frond deltoid ... ... . ... Bmhanani 
Stipes naked, pinnae distant ... i naquaUs 
,> densely scaly, pinnae close ... Eckloniana. 
N. incequalis. 
A very rare fern, found only in Natal, Transvaal and Angola • in Natal 
it has been found only in two or three places, and then but sparingly The 
stipites are tufted 3-6 in. long, with a cluster of fibrillose bright brown 
scales at the base, the main rachis nearly naked ; the frond lanceolate 
4-6 in long; thrice pinnate; texture thick; the whole frond densely 
covered on both surfaces with woolly hairs which in young specimens nre 
a creamy white on the lower surface, but as the frond matures thev be 
come a dark brown, each color may be preserved with care in drvinJ . 
veins free ; son plainly to be seen near the edge of the frond It is found 
in fissures of dry precipitous rocks, and in Natal always with a Northern 
aspect. u 
N. Eckloniana, 
( Ecklon , a German botanist). 
Not so rare as the last species, aud very similar to it in general appear- 
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