The Ferns of South Africa. 
258 
About forty species are described, of which nearly half are 
African. The size and appearance change exceedingly in accord- 
ance with water supply, as also does the amount of silky 
pubescence, and I am very doubtful about the following species 
being distinct if given similar conditions : while Kunze remarks 
that M. biloba can be found on the same plant as the more 
common form. 
Very few specimens are in the Cape Herbaria of the first three 
species, and the localities given are mostly quoted from Kuhn. 
(“Fil. Afr.” 198.) 
176. Marsiua Burchellii. A. Br. 
Plate CLVIII. Fig. 2. Natural size. 
Rhizome short, freely branched, with a compact habit, hairy 
buds, and numerous leaves upon petioles about an inch long. 
Leaflets narrowly cuneate, one to two lines long, half-line broad, 
slightly emarginate at the point, villose. Capsules one line long 
and broad, on a stipe one line long ; attached to the stalk along 
the whole base, nearly square, but with a distinct point at the 
upper corner, and rounded from that to the stipe. 
M. Burchellii. A. Br. ; Baker, Fern Allies, 144; Kuhn, Fil. Afr. 198. 
M. quadrifolia, 7. Burchellii. Kze. Linnoea, 10.556. 
M. minuta. Burchell. 
M. pusilla. A. Br. 
M. pumila. Meyer. 
M. filiformis. Burch, (grown in water, so rather larger). 
“Cape (Drege, Burchell, 1625, 2123), Orange River (Backhouse),” Kuhn. 
177. Marsilia biloba. Willd. 
Plate CLVIII. Fig. 3. Natural size. 
Rhizome wide creeping, with short branches on which the 
numerous leaves and capsules are thickly crow T ded. Leaflets two 
to six lines long, cuneate, and divided about halfway into two 
linear lobes ; petioles one to three inches long, slender ; capsule 
