Descriptions of the Species. 
183 
authority, but I have seen no specimens which would indicate 
more than two species, of which N. Filix-mas, var. elongatum, is 
one, and the other is the present plant. 
If it cannot be separated from N. spinulosum, Desv., our South 
African plants might all be included there, and A. inaequale, Schl., 
discarded; but meantime I follow Baker in calling this N. 
inaequale, and omit A. spinulosum, Sw. 
Nephrodium insequale. Hk. Sp. IV. 125 ; Hk. and Bkr. Syn. Fil. 277. 
Aspidium inoequale. Schl. Adum. 23 (in part) ; Kuhn, Fil. Afr. 134. 
Aspidium inaequale, 8 . montanum. Kze. Linnsea, 10.549. 
Lastrea inaequale. Presl.: Pappe and Rawson, 12 (in part), (L. spinu- 
losum, P. and R., 13). 
Known as a South African species only, and evidently rare, 
most of the localities reported referring to N. Filix-mas, var. 
elongatum. 
West. — Swellendam (Drege). 
East. — Near Grahamstown (Holland), Sneeuwebergen and Wittebergen 
(Drege), Bedford (Miss Cook). 
Kaff. — Perie Forest, rare, Komgha (Flanagan). 
Natal. — Buchanan mentions the two forms, but does not state distribution. 
108. Nephrodium athamanticum. Hk. 
Plate CII. Natural size. 
Rhizome procumbent, one to one and a half inches diameter, 
naked, except the crown, which has linear brownish scales 
adpressed to the involuted young fronds. Frond sub-coriaceous, 
glabrous, widest at the base, and tapering regularly upward, one 
and a half to two feet long, six to nine inches broad, with a com- 
pressed stipe six to twelve inches long, which is thickly paleaceous 
at the base, and more or less scaly upward, and through the rachis 
and pinnae-rachises, though sometimes all are naked and shining, 
Lower pinnae largest, six inches long, three to four inches broad at 
the base, stalked or sessile, and with lanceolate pinnules, rather 
one-sided at the base, of which only the lowest are pinnate, the 
