NEPHROLEPIS.

151

4. Nephrolepis, Schott.

(Hook. Gen. Fil. tab. XXV. Aspidium and Nephro-dium, Auct. Lepidoneuron, Fee.)

Sori dorsal, arising from the apex of the superior branchof a veinlet, generally at or near the margin. Involucrescordiform or reniform or almost crescent-shaped, attachedby a broad base to the receptacle, hence resembling some ofthe Humata-growp of Davallia. — Tropical or subtropical Fernswith a creeping caudex or, more generally, it is slender, suberect,flexuose, apparently a prolongation of the stipes, and sendsout strong sarmentose and often rooting fibres, in one speciesbearing large fleshy tubers. Fronds generally coriaceous, pin-nated. Pinnae entire or mostly pinnatifid, articulated uponthe rachis, and having a strong central costa. —Ferns witha peculiar habit in most of the species, and the Genus ismaintained by most Fern-authors.

1. N. tuberosa, Pr.; caudex indistinct, apparently wiry root-fibres frequently bear large oval scaly tubers, stipites 1-4 inchesand more long deciduously paleaceous, fronds 1-2-3 feet longlinear-lanceolate coriaceo-submembranaceous acuminate pin-nate, pinnae numerous approximate £-1 inch long glabroushorizontal from a truncate or cordate base more or lessauricled above, oblong obtuse or especially the fertile onescrenated rarelv acuminate often subfalcate, lower and sterileones shorter and more obtuse, auricle acute, sori transverseabout equidistant from the margin and the costa, involucresfirm coriaceous reniform or nearly halfmoon-shaped brownopening towards the apex of the pinnre, the base and pointof insertion broad and generally black.—Aspid., Bory, inWilld. Sp. PI. v. p. 234. Nephrolepis, Pr. Metten . Fil.Hort. Lips, {who refers to it N. imbricata, Kaulf . N. undu-lata, J. Sm. and Sw. ?) Aspid. sublanosum, Wall. Cat. n.365 {in part). —Var. /3, pendula; elongated and pendulousfrom trees. Aspid. pendulum, Raddi, Fil. Bras . p. 30. t. 45.Nephrolepis, Pr. —Var. y, delicatula ; small, pinnge membra-naceous. Nephrodium delicatulum, Dene, in Jacgem. Voy.Bot.p. 178. t. 179. Aspid. Tavoyanum, Wall. Cat. n. 1032.

Hab. Bourbon and Mauritius , Sieber, F l. n. 41 (Aspid. imbricatum), and Klfs.and Sieber , FI. Mixta, n, 246. Western Tropical Africa, Vogel , Irving , G. Mann(both broad and narrow fronds). East Indies: Madras Peninsula, Wight, n. 114 ;Northern India, Wallich , Griffith , Jacquemont , Hooker fil. et Thomson; andKhasya and Assam to Moulmein , Parish , n. 26 ; Ceylon, Gardner, n. 1877 ; Java ,