Descriptions of the Species. 
73 
the lobe that it is quite surrounded by lamina, while the veins all 
curve over and terminate in the sorus. (Fig. 2.) 
This species is difficult to cultivate satisfactorily, in which 
respect it differs much from A. cethiopicum, which is a great 
favourite, and always does well. 
Some doubt may exist as to whether our plant be Willdenow’s 
A. thalictroides, as Schlechtendal’s description is not very clear, 
and his figure was one of those that were not issued owing to the 
non-completion of the book. Reference to Willdenow’s Herba- 
rium is required to certify this. Baker unites A. thalictroides with 
A. oethiopicum, but Kuhn keeps them distinct. However there is 
no doubt but that our plant is a distinct species from the strong 
growing A. cethiopicum of the Eastern forests. 
A. thalictroides. Willd. Hb. 20,101 (Schl.), 20,102 (Kuhn); Schl. 
Adum. 53 (t. 33 ined.) ; Kze. Linnsea, 10, 530; Pappe and Rawson, 
App. 52 ; Kuhn, Fil. Afr. 66. 
This is abundant near Cape Town, but almost absent else 
where. 
West. — Table Mountain, Devil’s Mountain, &c. ; Swellendam (Holland). 
East. — Bedford. 
26. Adiantum cethiopicum. Linn. 
Plate XIX. Tart of frond, natural size. 
Rhizome paleaceous, almost crown-like, branched and tufted, 
a half to two inches long, two lines diameter, but with very long 
slender running and almost frondless branches. Frond glabrous, 
three to four pinnate, one to one and a half feet long and broad, 
on a shining, metallic, black, wiry stipe, often two feet long, and 
having lanceolate, brown scales at the base only. Pinnae lax, 
alternate, arching, spreading, erectopatent ; lower pinnae largest, 
six to twelve inches long, three to six inches broad, with four to 
six pairs of secondary pinnae ; the upper simply pinnate ; the 
lower two-pinnate. Pinnules three to six lines broad, three to five 
lines long, generally wider than long, rounded, lobed, and when 
barren slightly crenate on the upper side ; the lower side, straight 
or rounded, or more frequently slightly tapering to the petiole, 
