24 
l'EBNS 01' NATAL. 
viscous ; barren frond 6-12 in. 1., -J--1 in. br., the apex acute, the lower part 
narrowed gradually ; texture subcoriaceous ; both sides more or less viscid and 
minutely furfuraceous ; veins close and fine ; fertile fr. smaller, and on longer 
stems than the others. (Oljersia, Presl.) Hab. : — On rocks, Kranz Kloof; 
Great Noodsberg ; Town Hill bush (fine) ; Drakensberg. 
110. A. spathulatum, Bory ; st. densely tufted, 1-2 in. 1., firm, erect, clothed 
with soft spreading brown fibrillose scales ; barren fr. «-4 in. 1., I - -V in. br., 
obovate-spatludate, the point blunt, the base tapering narrowly or gradually ; 
texture coriaceous ; both sides scattered over and the edge usually densely 
ciliated with small linear-subulate, reddish-brown scales ; veins hidden ; 
fertile fr. smaller than the other, and the stem longer. Small specimens have 
an aspect much like that of a Sun-dew, — JDrosera. Hab. : — Imgorna, Zuhdand ; 
on moist open rocks, Lyndoch ; and between the Peak and Karkloof. 
111. A. tenuifolium, Baker ; rhizome wide-scandent, woody, slightly scaly ; 
barren fr. simply pinnate, the st. 4-6 in. 1., naked, firm, erect, the fr. 3-5 ft. 1., 
12-18 in. br. ; pinna; 6-12 in. 1., £ to 1J in. br., the point acuminate, the edge 
thickened and serrulate, the base short- stalked, with a gland on the upper side, 
not articulated ; fertile fr. bipinnate, on a longer stem ; pinna; long-stalked, 
with numerous distant pinnl. 2-3 in. 1., A-l lin. br., spreading from the racliis at 
right angles ; texture, coriaceous ; racliis and both sides glossy ; veins fine and 
close. This species is well distinguished from all the others by its compound 
fertile pinna;. {Acrostickum Meyerianum, Hk. ; Slenochlana Meyeriana, P. 
and 11.) Hab. : — Climbs trees in moist or marshy places, near the coast, and 
inland, to Inanda and Umsundusi Mission Station. 
112. A. aureum, L. ; eaud. erect ; st. 1-2 ft. 1., tufted, strong, erect, glossy ; 
fr. 2-6 ft. 1., 1-2 ft. br., the upper pinnse fertile, slightly smaller than the bar- 
ren ones, which are usually stalked, ligulate-oblong, 3 in. to more than 1 ft. 1., 
•j--3 in. br., the point acute or blunt, sometimes retuse with a mucro, the edge 
quite entire, the base subcuneate ; texture, coriaceous ; racliis and surfaces 
naked ; areolae very small and copious, without free veinlets. (Chrysodium.) 
Hab. : — At the edge of high-water at Cato’s Creek, and around the Bay of 
Natal. 
Gen. 62. — Osmunda, L. 
Sori quite distinct from the leafy part of the frond, forming a panicle made up 
of copious thyrsoid clusters. 
113. O. reyalis, L. (Royal fern) ; st. tufted, 12-18 in. 1., firm, erect, naked ; 
fr. 2-4 ft. 1., 1 ft. or more br., bipinnate, the apex fertile ; barren pinnse 6-12 
in. 1., 2-4 in. br. ; pinnl. sessile or slightly stalked, 1-2 in. 1., £-£ in. br., oblong, 
blunt, often unequal at the base, the edge finely serrulate ; texture, subeoriace- 
ous ; racliis and both sides naked ; fertile pinnl. cylindrical, forming a copious 
panicle. Hab. : — Damp open places ; from New Germany to Nottingham. 
