204 
The Ferns of South Africa. 
ovate-lanceolate, light brown, ciliated scales, one-third inch long, 
which are persistent after the old fronds have fallen. Fronds two 
to eighteen inches long, one-half to one inch broad, alternate on 
the rhizome, to which they are articulated, pendent, linear-lanceo- 
late, often falcate, thick and coriaceous in texture ; the margin 
revolute ; both surfaces at first densely covered with rufous stellate 
pubescence, which is permanent on the underside, though after- 
wards white, while from the upper surface it almost entirely 
disappears where exposed. Veins obscure, but in long, regular, 
nearly equal areolae, with few free veins. Sori numerous, scattered 
all over the upper part of the frond, and nearly covered by the 
tomentum. 
Kunze made vars. major and minor of this, but both grow 
together with every intermediate. 
Polypodium Africanum. Mett. Polyp. 268 ; Hk. and Bkr. Syn. Fil. 351; 
Kuhn, Fil. Afr. 145. 
Niphobolus Africanus. Kze. Linnaea, 10.501 ; Suppl. to Schk. Fil., tab. 
33 ; Pappe and Rawson, 41. 
Gyrosorium. Presl. 
Tropical and sub-tropical Africa ; generally on trees. 
Kaff. — Cove Rock, East London (Murray, Kitton), Iquibica (Miss Crowe), 
Cape Morgan Forest, Kei Mouth (Flanagan), Yellow Woods Falls, on 
Cycads. 
Natal. — Coast, rare (Wood), Dacombs Kop, Oakford, Umhloti, Umko- 
manzi, sources of Omoa (M‘Ken), Tookey’s Drift, Tugela (Buchanan). 
126. Polypodium irioides. Lam. 
Plate CXX. Fig. 2. Part of frond, fertile, natural size. 
Rhizome short, branching or tufted, half-inch diameter, green, 
with deciduous black scales, but often lost in abundant black 
woolly rootlets. Frond one to four feet long, two to three inches 
broad, lanceolate, pointed, entire, rigid, coriaceous, glabrous on 
both surfaces, with a very few small scattered black scales on all 
parts of the lower surface. There is no distinct stipe, as the very 
