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E ijÉ ís f c = i:¿ 3 a ti¡
The normal form has all the segments of the fertile fronds contracted and fructified, some fronds however have only some of the
uiiper or some of the lower segments fructified and the rest are sterile and leafy, and in some fronds portions of each segments only ai-e
fructified and portions sterile, this latter is represented in the Plate XXVIII. A.
Very abundant in most of the sholas on the Koondah mountains, and in the shola behind the Avalanche bungalow on the Nilgiris.—
Sisparah ghat all the ravines above 4,000 feet elevation.—Anamallay mountains.
PLATE No. XXVIII AND XXYIÍI A.
B le c h n um , L in n c e u s Gen. P I ed. 5. 1039.
(Orthogramma Px-esl. ; Spicanta Presl. ; Blechnopsis Pi-esl. ; Diafnia Presl. ; Mesotheina Presl. ; Distaxia Presl. ;)
Sori indusiate linear, continuous or rarely interrupted on a transverse receptacle, approximate to the costa ; central or sometimes
sub-marginal by the contraction of the fronds. Indusium linear opening along the inward side. Veins (steiile) simple or forked from a
central costa ; venules direct free thickened a t the apex ; in the fertile fronds combined near the base or within the margin by the receptacle.
Fronds simple pinnatifid or pimaatc ; the fertile sometiines moi-e or loss contracted. Ehizome short, erect, or producing elongated
creeping Stolones (iloore). This genus is very intelligibly distinct from Lomaria in those species where the indusiv.m is costal as in
the only South In d ia n species, but where by the contractioxi o f the froxid the indusium becomes max'ginal it is hardly distinguishable from
Lomaria.
1. Blechnum orientale Linn. Caudex erect stout a t the extremity and as well as the short stipites clothed with long falcato-
subulato-setaceous glossy scales, fronds 1-8 feet long ovato-lanceolate acuminate firm coriaceous pinnated, pinnæ numerous
approximate horizontal straight or decuiwed 6 inches to a foot long 3-4 lines broad linear-lanceolate gradually acuminate sessile
entii-e, the base bluntly and obliquely cuneate or truucated, several of the inferior pairs are suddenly abbreviated or abortive and
squamiform, those a t the extremity are decurrent and coadúnate at the base, terminal one more or less elongated, veins simple rarely
forked very close paralled horizontal, sori continuous close to the costa, involucre in age firm rigid and almost black. Hook. Sp. Fil. iii,
52—Blechnopsis latifolia ; Presl. ;—Blechnum salicifolium. Kaulf.-,—Blech. pyrophyllum, Æn. Fil. Jav. p. 160.
Common on the Nilgiris—Coonoor g b at^S isp a rah ghat—Anamallays—Pulneys and Coimbatore liills. Beypore and Calicut
(Malabar plains).
PLATE No. XXIX.
T R IB E I . {§ 9) P T E R ID E Æ .
(a) Veins free.
O n y c h ium , K a u lfu s s Berl. J a h rb . P h a i'm . 43.
(Leptostegia D. Don, ; Pteridis sp. auctorum ; AUosori sp. Px-esl. ;)
Soxi indusiate, Unear (or oblong) transverse marginal or sub-marginal; the receptacles continuous. Indusium linear (or oblong)
membranaceous usually opposite, and while young connivcnt over the naiTOw ultimate segments. Veins (sterile) simple and costæform in
the ultimate segments ; or (fertile) pinnate from a central costa, the few branches united near the margin by the transverse receptacle.
Fronds bi-piiinately or decompoundly pinnatisected, sometimes sub-membranaceous, usually with small narrow segments. Rhizome
creeping—(Moore.)
I. Oxiychium auratum, Kaulf. Roots of densely tufted fibres, stipes cæspitose, a span to a foot and more long, hispid with a
few narrow scales only a t the base, and as well as the rachis everywhere pale brown or straw colored, glabrous and glossy, frond a
span to a foot and a half long ovato-lanceolate acuminate suh-niembranaceous but firm and glossy very compound four or more
times pinnatisected (primary and secondary divisions pinnated) segments aU narrow linear subcuncate short (in the sterile portions) ultimate
ones acute entire or inciso-dentate, segments aU pointing upwards 1 nerved, fertile segments elongated sUiquiform especially the
terminal ones and mucronate, sori linear-elongated occupying the whole back of the fertile segments, involucres golden colored meeting
at their edges—ZToo/rer Np. Fil. ii. 121 ;— Lomaria aurea. Wall. Cat. n. 38 ;— L. caruifolia. Wall. Cat. n. 3 0 ; L. decomposita
Don. Prod. FI. Nep. p. 14 ;— Pteris chrysocarpa, Hook et Grev. Ic. F il. t. 107 /—Pteris siliculosa, Desv /—Allosorus auratus. Pvesl
Paulghaut mountains—rare.
PLATE No, XXX.
P t e r i s , lA n n c e u s Gen. P I. 780.
(Thelypteris ridaijson ; Oetosis-Veciw; Cinciualis üleditsch ; Monogouia Preif. ; Eupteris Ag a rd h ; Ornithopteris riyardA;
Pteridopsis lAxik ; Lytoneuron klotzeb ; Pycnodoria Px-esl. ; Lonchitideum Fèe ; Pclloeæ sp. Hooker ;)
Sori indusiate, marginal, linear, continuous or interrupted ; the receptacles linear transverse, uniting the apices of the veins.
Indusium of the same form membranaceous Veins simple or forked from a central costa. Venules free.
Fronds varying from pedate to decompound, often very large herbaceous or coriaceous, Rhkorae short erect or creeping some
times much elongated (Moore.)
1. Pteris quadx-iaurita Eetz. obs. VI. p. 38. Caudex short erect, fronds glabrous or with a few hairs very variable as to
size ovato or cordato-ovate acuminate coriaceo-membranaceous, pinnate pinnæ 4 to many, generally opposite, more or less pinnatifid
generally deeply, segments oblong obtuse entire or serrated, pinnæ sometimes pinnatifid to the apex, sometimes ending in a long tail like
entire or serrated termination, lowe.st pair of pinnæ (or rarely 2 lowest pair) bi-partite (or rarely bearing several pinnæ on the lower .side)
veins free forked, basal ones terminating at or above the sinus indusium occupying nearly the whole length of the margin of the segments—
stipes elongated smooth or scabrous.—Pteris ncmoralis. Hook. Gen. F il. t. 54 /—Pteiis biaurita var. Sw. Syn. Fil. p. 98 / Pt.
calcarata Bory in Bel. voy. p. 42.
Var. B. Argentea fronds white mottled.
Var. y. ruhro-nerva. Stipes glabrous or scabrous and together with the rachis and veins deep" carmine colored co.sta above
covered with pinkish hairs, indusium only occupying a small portion of the margm of the segments. Pteris rubro-uerva o f hot houses in
Dnglaxid Pteris aspericaulis Wallich ? {This is perhaps a distinct species from Pteris quadriaurita.)
The normal form is very common eveiy w-here in the Western side of the Presidency from the sea level to the highest elevations
Var. B. argentea is much rarer (and is never met with in the plains) Nilgiris, Nediwattan, Avalanche, Sisparah ghat.
Var, y. ruhro-nerva—rare—Anamallays. Mr, Ouchterlony’s ghat below Nediwattan or the Nilgiris.
PLATE No. XXXI. (Normal form.)
2. Pteris pellucens. Agardh. ; Fronds membranaceous furnished above with a few subulate scales on the rachis of the pinnæ
and with hairs on the rachis of the segments, ternately divided, lateral divisions multipinnate, pinnæ short petiolate or subsessile lanceolate
acuminate deeply pinnatifid to the apex or with the apex long caudate, segments oblong obtuse subtruncate, serrated at the sterile portion
at their apices, sori lateral on the segments never extending to the apex or base, veins rather remote all forked—basal ones arising
from the axil of the costala and extending to the margin much above the siuus, stipes and rachis pale brown. Ag. sp. Gen. Pt. p. 43 /
Hook. Sp. Fil. ii. 191 ; Pteris intermedia. BL Fn. Fil. Jav. p. 211 ?
Anamallays 2500 to 4000. Coimbatore hills—Carcoor ghat—by no means common.
PLATE No. XXXII.
3. Ptex-is loxigifolia Linn, Sp. PI. p. 1531.
Caudex short stout knotty, fronds 1 -2 feet long lanceolate attenuated below, pinnate, pinnules numerous approximate linear-
lanceolate elongated, gradually acuminated, teiminal one sometimes'the largest and petiolate, the base tnmcate or cordate auriculate,
or even hastate, lower pinnules gradually smaller—Stipes more or less chaffy. Hook Sp. Fil. ii. 157 ; Pt. costata, Bory in Belang Voy.
Pt, vittata Willd. ;—Pt, obliqua, Forsk ;—Pt. lanceolata, Desf. /—P t. ensifolia, Siv. /—Pt. AlpinU, Deso. /—Pt. semihirta, L k . /—Pt. ;
acuminatissima, .BL—Pt. ainplecteus, Wall. /—Pt. divevsifolia, Sw.— Pt. trapezoides, Burm. /—Pt. microdonta, G a u d . Pt. tenui-
folia. Brock.
Banks of a river close to Coimbatore.
PLATE XXXIII.
4. Ptex'is semipinnata Linn ; Sp. PL p. 1534. 1-3 feet high, caudex stout creeping villoso-squamose fibrous roote'd,
fronds broad-lanceolate acuminate sub-membranaceous pellucid piimate, superior piunæ approximate linear-oblong sessile a t the base
adnate and decuvrenti-confluent, lateral ones distant sub-petiolate semi-ovate superior margiu entire, inferior sub-pectinato-pinnatifid
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