Descriptions of the Species. 
109 
of the pinnules only, but the upper half is quite entire. Along the 
mid-rib on the upper surface, this bears a strong prickle-like scale 
at the base of every side rib. Also about six of these scales are 
on the vein in each pinnule. Texture thin, but firm. Veinlets 
numerous, distinct, free, usually forked. The pinnae are not usually 
cut quite to the mid-rib, but so near that the lower veins from two 
neighbouring pinnae do not unite. 
In Pteris bi-aurita, L. they do unite ; but otherwise the plant 
is very similar to this. Buchanan, who was living where P. quad- 
riaurita is abundant, points out that it has free veins, and that 
Kuhn had gone wrong in placing Pappe and Rawson’s P. cato- 
ptera under P. biaurita, while shown by the Rawson Herb, to be 
P. quadriaurita, Retz. which he omits. P. biaurita, L. is how r ever 
found in the same Herb, without locality, and is not otherwise 
known to belong to our district, and Mr. Baker informs me that 
there is no Cape specimen of it in Kew Herbarium. Pappe and 
Rawson give as localities for Campteria biaurita “ Magalisberg 
(Zeyher), in the forests of Natal (Plant),” and remark “ very like 
P. catoptera, Kze., but sufficiently different by the venation,” 
while their generic character for Campteria is, “ like Pteris, but 
lower veins anastomosing and arching at the sinus.” 
Lady Barkly only adds to the confusion by giving Campteria 
biaurita as a synonym for P. quadriaurita. 
There are evidently two forms of P. quadriaurita. All the 
Natal specimens I have seen are slightly serrate all along the 
barren margins, while those from the Transvaal are quite entire, 
and thinner, but more leathery in texture. In Herb. Bolus, the 
latter variety is named by Baker, P. quadriaurita, var. setifrons. 
P. quadriaurita. Retz. ; Hk. Sp. 2, 179, tab. 134/3 ; Hk. and Bkr. Syn. 
Fil. 158 ; Buchanan’s list, no. 38 ; Wood’s Natal Ferns, 15. 
P. catoptera. Kze. Linnaea, Vol. 18, p. 119; Pappe and Rawson, 26. 
Found throughout the tropics; by streams, or in bush, but 
not extending south of Natal, where it is found from the coast to 
the upland mountains. 
Transvaal. — Magalisberg (Zeyher), Drakensberg near Macamac Gold 
Fields (J. H. McLea, 41). 
