The Ferns of South Africa. 
114 
pinnae cut in a similar manner, which increase in size downward, 
and are about equal in the upper and lower side of the pinna. 
Pinnae set nearly horizontal, so that each pair overlaps those 
under. Involucre continuous round the entire pinnule, intra- 
marginal, much fringed at the edge. Sometimes it has an indu- 
sium under as well as over the capsules, which is the characteristic 
of the section Paesia to which this species belongs. Fronds 
coriaceous, glabrous above except when quite young, but villose 
below in the S. African form, which was separated by Thunberg 
under the name P. capensis, on this account. Veins forked, but free. 
The Bracken, as this is called, is the most cosmopolitan, and 
in many parts of the world the most common fern ; but with us, 
though not uncommon, it is confined to certain localities. It has 
a very long underground rhizome, from which the fronds rise 
singly at considerable distances, and this makes it a difficult fern 
to introduce from the wild state into the rockery. If taken when 
a seedling however — before the rhizome has begun to get long — 
it is not only very much prettier at first, but more easily managed 
ever after. When found in the sporeling state, as it often is soon 
after a bush fire, the fronds are quite delicate in texture, yellowish 
green, with crenated pinnules, and grow in a tuft, from which 
afterwards the rhizome starts to run. It is in that state not 
easily recognised as Bracken, and looks like Hypolepis an- 
thriscifolia. 
Pteris aquilina. Linn. ; Hk. and Bkr. Syn. Fil. 163. 
Pteris lanuginosa. Willd. 
Pteris aquilina. L. var. lanuginosa, Hk. Sp. II., 196 ; Kuhn. Fil. Afr. 
76. 
Pteris capensis. Thunb. Prod. 172; FI. cap. 733; Schl. Adum. 45, 
tab. 25; Kze. Linnsea, 10.527. 
Pteris lanuginosa, var. capensis. Agardh. 
Allosorus capensis. Pappe and Rawson, 32. 
Allosorus hotentottus. Presl. 
Pteris coriifolia. Kze., Linnaea, 18.120. 
Allosorus coriifolius. Presl. ; Pappe and Rawson, 32. 
Lady Barkly in mistake places A. capensis and A. coriifolia 
under Pellaea hastata, Link. 
