A C R O S T I C H UM V IR E N S .
FILIC ES .— G y r a t æ . B r . P o l y p o d i a c e æ . K a u lf. F i l i c e s v e ræ . JVilld.
Gen. C u a r . A C R O S T I C H U M , Limi. S o r i amorphi, seu Capsuloe per totam paginam in feriorem
frondis (interdum diversæ) ad ejus partem sparsæ. Involucrum nullum (nisi squamulæ
vel setæ in quibusdam capsulis interstinctæ.). B r .
AciiosTicHiKM v iren s; frondibus pinnatis (pinnulis subnovem) oblongo-lanceolatis acuminatis rqem-
branaceo-conaccis glabris parallclo-venosis obscure reticulatis cartilaginco-scrratis basi oblique
cimeaüs petiolatis, fertilibus linearibus obtusis, stipite elongato subpaleacco.
Ac rostich um virens. TFalL Cat. o f P L in M u s . o f E . I C. N o . 1033.
Haiî. T o v a g iu India Orientali (G u i. Govan, M .D .) . N . IFallick, M .D .
Ca udex oblique repens, crassus, dense paleaceo-squamosus, radices fibrosas tomentosas emittens.
Slijies pedalis et ultra, semiteres, erectus, sparse squamosus, superne nudus.
F ro n s late ovata, piunata; pinnis subnovem, alternis, palmaribus e t ultra, oblongo-lanceolatis, niembrauaceo-
coriaceis, glabris, nitidis, pallide vireniibiis, costatis, pennatim nervosis cum venis anastomosautibus ; venulis
nounuuquam liberis clavatis; apice attenuatis, marginibus undulatis, paululum incrassatis, remote cartüagineo-
scrratis, serraturis incurvis, basi oblique cuneatis, in petiolum brevem decurrentibus. Hachis glabra, nuda,
antice sulcata.
Fra n s f c r t i l h stcrili lou g io r ; pinnis bresioribns, iinenriinis, a<l npicem soinmmoclo serratis, obtnsis.
Capsidæ totani partem inferiorem pinnre tegentes, globosoe, annulatæ; ammlo fere completo; sublongtnn pedicei-
latæ.
Semin a snbgloboso-angul.ata, obscure reticul.atn.
F i g . I . Po rtio pinnm sterilis. f . 2 . Capsuloe. f. s . Semina nnei.
Am on g tile described species o f Acrostichum, tile one m o st nearly allied to tliis is the A c ro st.
scandens o f Raddi (A . se rratifolium o f J le r ten s in Sprcngel's S y s t. V e g .) ; and if we were to consult
only the specific character given o f that plant, the two could scarcely be considered distinct.
B u t In A . scandens tile plant is smaller, the frond more ob lon g, the pinnæ more numerous, twenty
or more, the scrraturcs mucli coarser, more attcnnatcd at tlic base, le ss so at the e x tr em ity ; and
there is lik ew ise a considerable dillcrencc in the venation ; for whereas in one plant the veins are
copiously reticulated towards the margin and between th e principal veins, the lesser ones often
free with club-slnipcd extremities,— in T . scandens till tlic veins an astomose, exc ep t at the margin,
where they are free, and toniiimitc iu clavatc extremities ; tlic pinimlcs, to o , o f the fertile frond arc
both shorter and broader.
In Dr. Wallich’s co lle c tion is u species much more nearly allied to i t ; th is is the A . costatum
o f the Catalogue, N o . 2G, but it is twice the siz e o f the present sp e c ie s: the fronds are more
coriaceous, the margins more thickened, n o t waved and crisped, and d estitute o f scrraturcs. The
colour is also very different, b e in g o f a purple hue.
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