18 
FF.KNS OF NATAL. 
4th. The raohises and midribs are not so scaly, and are sometime* 
quite naked and straw-colored. Found plentifully in the 
Midland district, in open ground, and near springs and 
streams. 
BLECHNUM, 
( Blechnon , a fern). 
This genus differs from the last, only by having its sori and indnsrniw 
within the margin, but as the fertile fronds are often more or less con- 
tracted as in Lomaria, and as L. punctulata often has its indusium intra- 
marginal, it is sometimes difficult to distinguish between the two, and the 
same plant is referred to both genera by different authors, both our species 
being by some writers referred to Lomaria. 
Sori continuous ... ... ... ... . australe. 
„ broken into dots at base of pinna? Atkerstoni. 
B. Atherstoni . 
A singular, coarse looking fern, found at the margin of bush in the 
Midland districts, it lias generally' been considered to be a variety of 
Lomaria punctulata , but has lately been again separated under the present 
name, by which it was known in 1856, when discovered in the Cape Colony 
by Dr. Atlierstone. The rhizome is sometimes creeping, stipes and rachis 
naked and straw-colored : it is simply pinnate, with numerous narrow 
pairs of sessile, linear, lanceolate, acuminate pinna?, cordate or auricled 
at the base, and the margin slightly wavy ; terminal pinna similar to the 
lateral ones. The sori are close to the midrib, in the centre of the pinna 
they are quite continuous, but at the base and sometimes at the apex also, 
they are broken up into a series of opposite, oblong sori, at first quite 
distinct from each other, and oblique to the midrib, but joining, becoming 
wavy at the edge, and at length quite confluent and parallel to the midrib. 
The indusium is broad and conspicuous ; the veins forked, elavate and 
plainly visible, especially on the under side of the frond. 
JBlechnum australe. 
This is our form of the English Blechnum, or Hard fern, so called from 
the texture of its fronds, in comparison with other English ferns. Its 
stipes is naked and straw-colored, frond !) to 18 inches long, lanceolate 
with numerous pairs of oblong, or lanceolate pinnae, which are cordate 
or hastate at the base, rounded at the apex, but sometimes terminating 
in a short and fine point. The fertile fronds are considerably contracted, 
but not so much so as to appear round as in Lomaria , and both barren and 
fertile fronds dwindle down at the base into auricles : veins plainly visible 
and forked. This species and B. hastatum, an American plant, are the only 
two of the genus which have a clear space between the 6ori and the midrib. 
It is found in dry rocky or shady places from Inanda, inland. 
ASPLENIUM, 
( splat, the spleen from its supposed medicinal properties). 
This large genus contains according to the Synopsis Filicum, 280 species, 
to which no doubt others have since been added. It is divided into 7 sections 
and is known by its linear or linear-oblong sori, which are sometimes 
curved, and which lie along the veins at the back of the frond, covered by 
an indusium of the same form: in the Natal species the veins are all free. 
The greater number of our species belong to the Section Eu-Asplenium , some 
of the remainder to the Section Athyrium, distinguished by its son being 
