106 J. SMITH ON THE GENERA OF FERNS, 



transverse sporangiferous receptacle, seated in the axis of a 

 linear, slightly intramarginal indusium. 



Fronds deltoid, decompound-muUifid, segments linear-laJiceO' 

 late; sori short, contiguous, the indusia conniving, Jhnning as 

 it were but one sorus on each segment ; sporangia usually be- 

 cojnijig confluent, covering the whole disk betweeji the tivo in- 

 dusia. 



Species. 1. O. auratum, Kaulf. 2. O. lucidum, Spretig. 

 (Leptostegia, D. Don.) 3. O. capense, Kaulf. 



lUust. Bauer's Gen. Fil. t. \\. Hook. et Grev. Ic. Fil. t.101. 



Obs. The very distinct habit of the few species constituting 

 this genus renders it necessary to separate them from both 

 Pteris and Lo7naria, in which they have by some been placed. 

 From Pteris, this genus is distinguished by the fertile seg- 

 ments being so narrow that the two sori are confluent, the 

 free margins of the two indusia, conniving over the midrib, 

 at length opening as it were by a longitudinal suture. From 

 Lomaria it differs in the sporangia being seated in the imme- 

 diate axis of the indusium as in Pteris, whereas in Lo7naria 

 the receptacle is broad, and occupies nearly the whole space 

 between the midrib and axis of the indusium. Onychium 

 therefore appears to form the transition between Pteris and 

 Lomaria, through such species as Pteris heterophylla and 

 crenata, witij Lomaria Fraserii. 



Sect. II. Metasor^, J. Sm. 



Sori intramarginal or costal, elongated, oblong or linear, 

 and continuous; indusium, plain or vaulted. 



62. Lomaria, Willd. 

 (Stegania, R. Br.) 

 Veins (of sterile fronds,) forked; venules direct, free; fir- 

 tile fronds contracted; veins scarcely evident ; sporangiferous 

 receptacle thick and elevated, continuous, often occupying 

 nearly the whole disk; indusium SG-Aied on, or within the edge 

 of the thickened margin, vaulted, revolute, and conniving at 

 length, replicate and torn- 



