54 J. SMITH ON THE GENERA OF FERNS. 



Fronds pinnate, pinnce entire or crenate. Veins straight, 

 parallel, the excurrcnt veinlet rarely fertile. Sporangia some- 

 times echinate. Sort becoming confluent. 



Species. 1. M. triphyllum. Sw. 2. M. angustifolium. 

 JVilld. 3. M. serratum. Cat: 4. M. dentatura. Presl. 5. M. 

 arborescens. Humb. 6. M. reticulatum. Sw. 7. M. cuspida- 



tura. Blume Illust. Bauer's Gen. Fil. t. 40. Schott. Gen. 



Fil. <. 14. 



Obs. The transverse, arched, or crescent-shaped sori, readily 

 distinguish this genus; but, on comparing the position of 

 the sporangia with the following genus, it will be seen that it 

 differs only by the sporangiferous receptacle of Meniscium 

 being continued across the angular meeting of the venules, 

 forming a curved sorus, which may be viewed as being formed 

 by the union of two terminal sori : whereas in the next genus 

 the sori are round, and at some distance below the junction of 

 the venules. 



15. GoNioPTERis. Presly J. Sm. 



(Polypodii sp. Sw. and Authors.^ 



Veins costseform, pinnate, the lower, opposite pair (or more 

 pairs) angularly anastomosing, producing from their junction 

 an excurrent, free, or anastomosed sterile veinlet. Sporangia 

 medial or costal. Sori round. — Rhlzoma creeping. Fronds 

 pinnate; pinnce entire, serrate or pinnatijid ; when deeply pinna- 

 tijid only the loicer pair of venules anastomose, the rest free. 

 Sori generally seated on or nearthe middle of the venules or sub- 

 terminal or basal. Sporangia often echinate. 



Examp. 1. G. prolifera (Meniscium. Sw.) 2. G. costata. 

 Wall. 3. G. urophylla. Wall. 4. G. crenata. Sw. 5. G. 

 aspera. Roxb. 6. G. pennigera. Forst. — Illust. Bauer's Gen. 

 Fil. t. 38. 



Obs. Distinguished from Stegnogramma by the sori being 

 round. It is necessary here to remark that the technical char- 

 acter which distinguishes the tribe Aspidiece from PolypodiecB 

 rests entirely on the sori of the former being furnished with a. 

 special indusium, which in many cases is often very fugacious, 



