I 20 
The Ferns of South Africa. 
Lady Barkly includes here L. inflexa, Kze., in mistake. 
South Africa ; growing in damp parts of the forest, or among 
shaded rocks. Said by Lady Barkly to be common throughout 
South Africa, but I have not found it in Kaffraria, and in almost 
every collection it is more or less confused with Blechnum 
australe, L. 
West. — Table Mountain, Devil’s Mountain, Dutoitskloof, &c. 
East. — Van Staaden’s River (Browning, Bolus 1720), Grahamstown, 
abundant ; Krakakamma. 
Kaff. — Omsamculo (Drege). 
Natal. — Palmiet to Drakensberg, common (Buch.). 
Var. Atherstoni. (P. & R.) 
Plate LIV. Natural size. 
Similar in all respects to the type, except that the fertile frond 
is not contracted, but less cordate at the base than the barren, 
while the sori lie parallel with and close to the mid-rib, in a 
continuous straight line in the upper pinnae, but broken into short, 
oval, but parallel, distinct sori in the lower pinnae (as in Doodia). 
If this could be maintained as a distinct species, it would belong 
to Blechnum rather than Lomaria. 
Pappe and Rawson founded their Blechnum Atherstoni on the 
Grahamstown plant, but do not mention the sori further than the 
generic character of Blechnum, and I have doubts as to whether 
this keeps distinct from the next form, which also grows in Fern 
Kloof, Grahamstown. Buchanan, who had frequent opportunity 
of seeing this in its native habitat, says — “ Regarded at Kew as 
only a Blechnoid variety of Lorn, punctulata, Kze., but retained by 
Kuhn as a distinct species ; and we are inclined to agree with 
him. There is a Blechnoid form of L. punctulata, resembling the 
normal plant in size and texture, and Scolopendrium Krebsii is not 
much different in these respects ; whereas this plant is large and 
coarse, of quite coriaceous texture, and indistinct venation, with 
very tough stipes. It has often a creeping rhizome. The sori 
are usually quite Blechnoid in the upper part of the frond ; in the 
middle and lower parts where the sori gradually draw away from 
