FERNS OF NATAL. 
9 
are prolonged into a long thread-like tail. '1 he Genus is divided into two 
'Sections, Eu-Adiantum, which has free veins, and which includes both 
our species, and Hewardia which has anastomosing veins. 
A. CapUlus* Veneris, Maidenhair. 
The well known Maidenhair, a small and delicate fern with black and 
polished stipes ’and rachis ; twice or thrice pinnate; the segments or 
leaflets differ a little in shape, but are usually wedge-shaped at the base, and 
rounded in general outline at upper edge, but more or less deeply lobed, the 
extreme point of the lobe turning completely over, and forming the indu- 
sium, the line formed by the doubling being usually slightly curved 
inwards ; the barren segments are toothed ; the venation is flabellate or 
fan-shaped, and forked. The plant is said to be somewhat mucilaginous, 
aromatic, and agreeable to the taste, and an infusion of it is sometimes used 
in rheumatic affections and slight catarrhs. I he syrup of Capillaire, 
esteemed for its sweet and agreeable aroma, is made by pouring boiling 
syrup on the fronds. This plant, is one of the ingredients used by the 
natives in preparing the decoction with which they are sprinkled as a 
preparation for war. Amongst the varieties of this fern, (or perhaps of 
A. tenerum which is a larger plant), produced in England by cultivation, is 
A. Farlei/ense, said to be one of most beautiful of ferns. 
A. JEthiopicum, 
The chief difference between this species and the last, appears to be 
that the leaflets or segments are much smaller and rounder, not so deeply 
lobed, and the line formed by the bending over of the indusium is quite 
crescent-shaped ; the stipes and rachis are dark chestnut biown. The 
whole plant is very fragile, the leaflets constantly falling off', even when 
thoroughly dry, and in the herbarium. It is a native of the upper districts 
only. 
LONCHITIS, 
(louche, a lance, from the shape of the pinnae). 
A genus differing from Pteris on account of its sori being nearly 
confined to the sinuses, or hollows of the edge of the frond, instead of being 
continued along the whole margin of the segments, and also on account of 
its anastomosing venation. 
L. puhescens, 
( puhescens , downy). 
A fine fern, 4 or 5 feet high, with ample fronds densely covered with 
short soft hairs ; the lower pinnae are large, and similar to the terminal 
one in which the pinnules are, at the base, quite separate from each other, 
and’ shortly stalked, but about half-way up they become joined to the 
rachis ancl to oach other, and end in a lobed or pinnatifid apex, the pinnules 
being again divided into blunt rounded lobes ; the sori are placed in the 
rounded hollows at each side of the segments or pinnules, and are covered 
by a semilunar indusium formed from the revolute edge of the fiond. 
The primary veins are free, but tlie venules and veinlets aie compoundly 
anastomosing, and form irregular hexagonal spaces without any free vein- 
lets. It is found near streams in the bush, in the coast and midland 
districts and differs so much in the cutting of the frond, that some botan- 
ists have been inclined to consider the extreme varieties as different 
species. 
