Descriptions of the Species. 
257 
of one or few fronds, each about a half-inch long and a half-inch 
broad at the base, and having three to five pairs of alternate 
branches, of which the lower are longest and again slightly 
branched at the tip, and the others are simple, and each one 
upward is shorter. Roots clustered, and with abundant rootlets. 
A. pinnata. R. Br,; Kunze, Linnsea, 10.556; Baker, Fern Allies, 138 ; 
Kuhn, Fil. Afr. 202. 
Australia, Africa, and Asia. 
Natal. — In a valley near Omgeni, 100 feet alt. (Drege, Hb. Kunze). 
Kuhn gives “ Cape (Drege), Natal (Gueinzius).” 
I have seen no Natal specimen, but the above description and 
figure are from specimens from the Niger kindly forwarded to me 
from Kew. 
Genus XLIV. — Marsilia. Linn. 
Plants growing in water in constant pools, or where water is 
generally standing, but seldom in streams. Rhizomes slender, 
widely creeping, rooting freely, and frequently branching, 
producing from alternate sides petioles which, when in water, 
lengthen to the surface, and bear four-foliate leaves with cuneate 
leaflets. The stalked capsules also arise from the rhizome near 
the bases of the leaves, but are often only to be found on short 
branches from which the leaves are decayed. The capsules are 
oblong, two valved, opening down the front, and contain a 
mucilaginous cord, on which at occasional intervals are produced 
groups of sporangia of both kinds ; those for the large spores con- 
taining only one spore, and those for the small spores many. 
In habit and appearance these plants nearly resemble clover, 
and they are readily eaten by cattle. 
Dr. Asa Gray points out that as the genus is named after 
Marsili, an Italian naturalist, it should be written Marsilia not 
Marsilea. 
