Descriptions of the Species. 
203 
mid-rib, large, medial, round, and extending from the apex to the 
base of the frond. Barren frond wider, and more rounded than 
the fertile. 
Polypodium lycopodioides. Linn.; Kze. Linnsea, 13.132; Hk. and Bkr. 
Syn. Fil. 357 ; Kuhn, Fil. Afr. 149. 
Pleopeltis lycopodioides. Presl. ; Pappe and Rawson, 40. 
Tropical America, Africa, and Islands ; growing on trees and 
rocks. 
Natal. — Coast to Inanda (Wood), Kruisfontein, Tonquat, Umbilo, 
Umhlatuzani (M‘Ken), Coast, common (Buchanan). 
Var. Mackenii. Bkr. 
Plate CXIX. Fig. 2. Natural size. 
Rhizome epiphytal, flattened, and closely adherent to the tree 
stems, a quarter to half-inch broad, and covered with spreading 
lanceolate, hair-pointed, brownish, persistent scales, which after- 
wards become lighter in colour. Frond herbaceous or sub-coria- 
ceous, glabrous, ovate-oblong, four to eight inches long, one to one 
and a half inches broad, rather obtuse at the apex, and the base 
rounded to the short stipe or slightly decurrent. Fertile fronds 
narrower. Veins and sori as in the type, but the free vein in the 
medial areolae is often branched several times, with branches free, 
or forming small areolae. When in active growth the rhizome 
sometimes extends a foot or more before fronds appear. 
This was at first described as a species by Baker, but since 
found to be a form only of P. lycopodioides. 
Polypodium Mackenii. Baker, Syn. Fil. 357. 
Natal. — In a ravine, village of Verulam, and at Nonoti (M‘Ken). 
125. Polypodium Africanum. Mett. 
Plate CXX. Fig. 1. Frond, natural size. 
Rhizome epiphytal, running, branching, three to six inches 
long, one to two lines diameter, green, but covered with spreading, 
