Descriptions of the Species. 
177 
This is N. elatum, Baker, “ Syn. Fil.,” 502, but that was 
evidently a badly chosen name, as N. elatum, Desv., is our 
N. catopteron, a different plant. Mettenius and Bojer have each 
an Asp. elatum, and Baker himself had a previous Nephrodium 
(Sagenia) elatum, Bkr. (“ Syn. Fil.” 298), also quite a distinct 
plant. However Mr. Baker now writes that his N. elatum (“ Syn. 
Fil.” 502) proves to be N. Mauritianum, Fee, Mauritius and 
Natal ; so often confused with N. molle and N. Bergianum that 
its separate distribution is not known, and though represented in 
the various herbaria, it is always by specimens without localities. 
Bazija, Transkei (Rev. R. Baur). 
Natal. — Head of Bay of Natal (Buchanan). 
103. Nephrodium molle. Desv. 
Plate XCVII. Nat. size. b. Fertile pinnules. 
Rhizome procumbent, three to six inches long, stout, and with 
abundant fronds. Fronds one and a half to two feet long, five to 
seven inches broad, bi-pinnatifid, firmly herbaceous, and brittle, 
deep green, densely villose, or even hairy all over, including the 
rachis and stipe. Pinnae cut only about halfway down from the 
margin to the mid-rib into rounded, close or overlapping lobes, 
sometimes obliquely pointed ; lower pinnule on upper side often 
larger, and with forked veinlets. Lower pinnae smaller than the 
others, often more distant and deflexed. Veins about six pairs in 
a pinnule, of which two to four pairs unite with those of the next 
pinnule. Sori medial, rather large, and with a black indusium 
which soon disappears. 
Kuhn mentions var. violascens, Mett., which has a purplish 
rachis as found in Natal by Gueinzius. 
N. molle is a widely distributed plant, having many varieties in 
different parts of the world, and found throughout Africa, though 
evidently rare in Cape Colony. 
Kuhn, and P. and R. refer Asp. patens. Schl. to this species, 
N 
