A C R O S T I C H U M ,
§
281
P H O T I N O P T E R I S .
cending,fronds tufted 12-16 inches long 1 inch wide subloratolanceolate coriaceo-membranaceous costate attenuated at the
base into a very short petiole, soriferous appendage broadoblong l - 2 ; j inches long | an inch wide, the disk only covered
with capsules leaving a broad spreading margin.—Kze.inSchk.
Fil. Suppl.p. 101 (no figure). Hook. Ic. Plant, t. 999. G y m nopteris, / . Sm. in Hook. Journ. Bot. iii. p. 403 (name only).
Macroplethus, Pr. Epimel. Bot. p. 142.
H a b . L u z o n , Cuming, n. 1 9 6 . — A v e r y rare a n d r e m a r k a b l y distinct species.
§ 1 5 . PHOTINOPTERIS.—Fronds ample, uniform, fertile at the extremity, and
that portion pinnated with narrow-linear or almost filiform pinnœ ; sterile portion very hard-coriaceous, pinnate with pinnœ articulated on a large scutiform
base of the petiole ; or simple hut deeply innnatifid, and when dry readily detaching itself from the rachis.
Venation as in § G y m n o p t e r i s and § L e p t o c h i l u s . — ( T h i s s e c t i o n c o r r e s p o n d s w i t h § Drynaria, a m o n g Polgpodieœ, a n d ,
our s e c o n d s p e c i e s especially, w i t h Pol. Mcyenianum, S c h o t t , a n d P. splendens,
Hook.)
Gen. P h o t i n o p t e r i s , / . Sm.
166. A . (Photinopteris) rigidum, Wall., Hook. ; caudex
repent or scandent paleaceous with elongated brown subulate
fringed scales mixed with hair-like ones in age albo-glaucescent, stipites short nearly as thick as a writing-pen, fronds
1^-2-3 feet long broad-lanceolate very hard-coriaceous
glossy pinnate; sterile pinnœ long-petiolate distant 3 - 6
inches and more long broad-ovate acuminate, the apex generally caudate and curved upwards, venation manifest elevated on both sides, costules subflexuose united by transverse veins into four angled aréoles which are again divided
into lesser aréoles including branched free clavate veinlets,
petioles articulated on the rachis and dilated into a large orbicular scutiform base ; sometimes these sterile pinnœ occupy
the whole frond, more frequently the rachis is suddenly elongated at the apex and bears 1 - 1 2 - 1 3 distant very contracted
narrow-linear and fertile pinnœ from 5—12 inches long soriferous except on the costa and on the slightly revolute margin.—Wall. Cat. n. 27 (1822). Lomaria speciosa, Bl. Fil.
Jav.p. 202. Photinopteris simplex, / . Sm. P. Horsfieldii,
J. Sm. (no description or character).
Hook. Gen. Fil. t. 9 2 .
Pr. Moore.
Brack.
Fée, Acrost. p. 102. t. 63:
H a b . S i n g a p o r e , Wallich, Cuming, n. 3 6 3 , De Vriese {in Herb, nostr.).
Java
Plume, Morsfield. M i n d o r a a n d I s l e o f B o h o l , Cuming, n. 3 5 2 . L a b u a n , 77ws.
Lobb. L u z o n , BracJcenridge, Cuming, n. 6 4 . Isle o f P a n a y , Cuming, n. 3 6 2 .
— T h i s magnificent Fern i s described b y D r . W a l l i c h as parasitic on t h e trunks of
trees, a n d B r a c k e n r i d g e remarks t h a t t h e very peculiar aspect w h i c h t h e sterile portion of t h i s plant presents i s n o t u n l i k e s o m e s c a n d e n t s p e c i e s o f t h e g e n u s Ficus.
VOL.
V.
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