A sp id ium lo b a tu m , Swartz, Schrad. J o um . Bot. 1800, ii. 37 ; Id ., Syn. Fil.
63. Smith, FI. Brit. 1123 ; Id ., Eng. Bot. xx ii. t. 1563 ; Id ., Eng. FI. 2 ed.
iv. 278. Hooker <0 Arnott, Brit. FI. 7 ed. 583. Madcay, FI. Hib. 338.
Willdenov), Sp. Plant, v. 260. Tenore, Att. Acead. R. Inst. Sc. Nat. Nap. v.
(re p r in t 24, t. 2, fig. 6).
A s p id ium lobatum, S. l o n c iiit id o id e s . Hooker tO Arnott, Brii. FI. 7 ed. 583.
A s p id ium acu lea tum, Schkuhr, Krypt. Gew. 41, t. 39. Lowe, Nat. Hist. Ferns,
vi. t. 16.
A sp id ium P l u k e n e t i i , Steudel, Nam. Bot. ii. 64.
A s p id ium in t erm e d ium , Sadler, Adumb. Epiphyll. Hung. 16.
A sp id ium m u n itum , Sadler, Fil. Hung. 54 ; n o t of Kaulfuss.
P olypodium lobatum, Hudson, FI. Ang. 459.
P olypodium a cu l e .ytum, Bolton, Fil. BHt. 48, t . 26.
P olypodium P l u k e n e t ii, Loiscleur, Not. 146.
Var. argutum : fronds lanceolate ; pinnules distinct, long, narrow,
i. e. linear acute, auricled, sharply spine-toothed. [Plate X V II B.]
P o l y s t i c h u m a c u l e a tu m , v. a r g u t u m , iloore, Ferns o f Gt. Brit. Nature
Printed, t. 10 B ; Id ., Handb. Brit. Ferns, 3 ed. 82.
Var. cristatum : fronds lanceolate, tapered to the point ; pinnæ
somewhat dilated and crispy at their apices, the upper ones confluent;
pinnules oblong acute, auricled.
Caudex thick, tufted, erect or decumbent, becoming woody in
age, consisting of the bases of decayed fronds closely surrounding a
woody axis, slowly elongating, in the upper part scaly. Scales broad
ovate-lanceolate, numerous, dark fuscous. Fibres long, coarse, tortuous,
branched, dark brown, tomentose.
Vernation circinate, the main raohis becoming recurved before
the unfolding of the frond is completed; the pinnæ convolute
towards the main raohis.
Stipes short, three to four inches long, densely scaly with broad
ovate-lanoeolate chaffy fuscous scales ; terminal and adherent to the
caudex. Bachis stout, rounded behind, channelled in front, densely
scaly, the scales less numerous and hair-like above, more numerous
and intermixed with broader ones below, gradually merging in size
witb those of the stipes.
Fronds from one to three feet high, and from four to seven inches
across, rigid, leathery, smooth and dark-green above, paler beneath,
ereotlsh or more or less spreading, occasionally somewhat drooping,
lanceolate in form, bipinnate. Pimm numerous, ohliquely-lanceolato,
broadest at the base, acuminate, pinnate at the base and for a part
of their length, sometimes nearly to the apex, in other cases the
basal pinnules only being distinct; the upper ones alternate, the
lower ones nearly opposite and diminishing in size. Pinnules ovate-
falcate or elliptic, acuto and aristate at the apox ; aU or the basal
ones only anrioulate on tho anterior side, the auricle acute and
muoronate ; aristate, subsessile, and attached hy tho wedge-shaped
base, or docurrent; the basal portion entire, and when distinct,
obliquely incised on the posterior side, truncate on the side next their
raohis; the rest of the margin toothed with unequal adpressed
muoronate serratures. The basal anterior pinnule on each pinna is
generally larger, often much larger than the rest, and more strongly
auricled, and the pinnules are all moro or loss convex ; on the
under surface are scattered fine hair-like scales. The tjqnoal form
of the species has the pinnules mostly distinct ; tho variety lohatum
has them mostly decurrent, while in some plants of the latter, apparently
resulting indifferently from youth or decrepitude, they are
obsolete, the piniiæ being merely more or less deeply lobed and
toothed, somewhat resembling those of P . Lonchitis, and hence
specimens in this state are sometimes named lonchitidoides.
Venation of the pinnules consisting of a flexuous costa or midvem,
with alternate branches or veins, which are again furoately-branohed
alternately, the lower veins producing three or four, the upper two
or three branches or venules, of which the lowest anterior one of the
fascicle is soriferous. In the auriculate portion at the base, the vein
is more prominent than in the upper portion, and gives off a greater
number of simple or forked venules, some few of which on both
sides may produce sori.
Fructification on the hack, and usually confined to the upper hall
of the frond. Sori, round, indusiate, seated much below the apices
of the venules, in a line on each side of the midvein of the pinnules,
and also of the vein of the auricles ; often crowded, sometimes
becoming confluent ; attached to the lowest anterior venule of the
fascicle of veins, or, at the auriculate base, to the venules on
either side the vein ; but there also to the anterior branch if
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