74 
The Ferns of South Africa. 
but often almost reniform. Pinnules set obliquely on the petiole, 
which is one to two lines long, and like the branches of the rachis 
black, hair like, and shining. Sori crescent shaped, several in a 
pinnule, one in each lobe, one line or less broad, deeply sunk into 
the frond, or surmounted by a horn of green lamina on each side. 
Texture thin, colour light green or glaucous green ; pinnules very 
easily broken off in mature fronds, or when dried. 
Mr. Wood sends from Natal specimens larger in all parts, and 
with firmer more coriaceous texture, with pinnules three-quarter to 
one inch broad, half-inch long, and sori, though sometimes reni- 
form, more frequently elongated, and sunk into the frond. 
Indusium sometimes quarter-inch long. 
A. sulphureum, Kaulfi, is exactly like ordinary A. cethiopi- 
cum, but dusted all over the under side of the pinnules with 
yellow powder. The crown and young unfolding fronds are also 
more or less yellow with this waxy powder. Mr. Wood states it is 
not uncommon near Harrismith, Orange Free State, but previously 
it had only been known as South American. 
A. (ethiopicum is the finest and most easily cultivated of our 
Adiantums, but is not common in cultivation. 
A. oethiopicum. Linn. Sp. ; Schl. Adum. 53; Thunb. prod. 173 ; 
Thunb. FI. Cap. 736 ; Kunze, Linnaea, 10, 529 ; Pappe and Rawson, 
33 (?) ; Hk. and Bkr. Syn. Fil. 123, in part ; Kuhn, Fil. Afr. 62. 
Owing to A. thalictroides having been formerly included in 
A. oethiopicum, the separate distribution of this is rather uncer- 
tain, but I have seen no specimens from the w r estern province, 
though Kuhn places here Browning’s Nos. 121, 122, Novara 
Expedition, Simon’s Bay. 
East. — Bedford Forest (Miss Cook), Grahamstown, near Reservoir 
(Holland, 1866) ; Boschberg (MacOwan) ; Oudeberg, Graafreinet, 
4800 feet (Bolus). 
Kaff. — Perie Mission Station, Poutz’ Bush, Keiskama Hock, Toise River, 
all above 2000 feet. 
Natal. — Common from Maritzburg to Drakensberg (M‘Ken) ; Ivarkloof, 
Umpumulo, rare (Buch.). 
