PREFACE. 
The object the compiler has had in view in writing the following pages, has 
been simply to render the study of our Natal Ferns easier for those persons who 
make no pretence to botanical acquirements, and who have not the opportunity 
of consulting Hooker and Baker’s “ Synopsis Filicum ” which contains an e- 
numeration and description of all known ferns, and from which work some of 
the following descriptions have been taken. The compiler has as far as possible 
endeavoured to avoid the use of technical terms, and of such as he has been 
compelled to use he has added a description which he hopes will make their 
meaning plain. He has also compiled an Analysis or Vidimus of the Genera, 
which will be found of use in referring a fern to its proper place. For the 
purpose of classification it is advisable when possible to have more than one 
specimen of the fern, one frond of which at least, should not be quite mature, 
as the indusium which is of so much use in classification is often after, on 
even at, maturity so pushed aside and hidden by the growing capsules, that in 
a many cases it is difficult to detect, and it is always most conspicuous in the 
young specimens. 
To use the table let us suppose that we have before us a frond of a fern, in 
fruit, and which is as near perfect as possible, and which should also have a 
portion of the rhizome attached to it, we turn to the first part of the table and 
looking to the three methods of fructification there given, we find that the first 
viz : — “ fructification dorsal ” corresponds with our specimen, we are then 
referred to I Sori covered or naked, we find the latter to be true, the sori are 
naked, we then turn to B- and reading carefully over the list there given we note 
the one which best describes the specimen before us, which in this case is the 
first, viz : — Sori round, distinct, capsules numerous, the fern is therefore a 
Polypodium. Let us suppose another case, we have a frond of a fern before us, 
and upon referring to the first part of the table, we again find the fruit to be 
dorsal and pass on to I. In this case we find that the fruit is covered with an 
indusium, which passes us on to A. and reading down the lines we find the one 
which appears nearest to be “Indusium semilunate, marginal,” we therefore pass 
on to d and upon holding the frond between the eye and a strong light we see 
at once that the veins are anastomosing, it is therefore Lonchitis. A table is 
also prefixed to each genus where required, for the purpose of determining the 
species. We have often been asked by Amateur collectors how they may best 
distinguish a fern from any other plant, in the majority of cases if the fern is 
in fruit, this is easy, as the greater number of our ferns bear their capsules or 
spore cases on the back of the frond, but we have in Natal 4 genera which differ 
in this respect viz ; — Schizcea and Ophioglossum which bear their capsules on 
a spike, and Osmunda and Anemia which bear theirs in a panicle. Another 
mode of detecting a fern is by the vernation or arrangement of leaves in the bud, 
which in all our Natal species except Ophioglossum , is circinate or coiled like a 
■crozier, in Ophioglossum it is straight. A third difference is the venation which 
in most of our species is forked and free, and in the remainder anastomosing or 
running together, both, forms which differ considerably from the venation of 
either exogen or endogen, and which are after a little practice easily recognised. 
As this List has been intended for Amateurs only, the synonyms have been 
wholly omitted, but Mr. Buchanan’s Revised List published in 1875, gives both 
the synonyms and also the habitats of the different species very fully. 
