188 J. SMITH ON THE GENERA OF FERNS. 



if, on further evidence, it should prove distinct, it may bear 

 the name of Hemigonium. 



86. Nephrodium, Schott. Presl. J. S7n, 

 (Aspidii sp. Auth. Cyclosorus, Lmk. Cyclodium, Presl.) 



Feins costaeform, pinnate; the lower pair or more pairs of 

 venules angularly anastomosing and fertile, their junctions 

 combined by an excurrent anastomosing sterile veinlet; spo- 

 rangia medial; sort round; indusiu?n reniform, rarely orbi- 

 cular. 



Fronds simple,or pinnate ; pinnce entire, serrate, or sinuous- 

 ly pinnatifid ; the superior venules of deeply pinnatifid pinme 

 free, the lower pair always anastomosing ; sori disposed in 

 a row on each side of the costmform veins ,• (eosta of lacinise) 

 sometimes becoming confluent, and forming a continuous line 

 parallel with the margin; sporangia sometimes echinate. 



Examp. 1. N. raultilineatum, {Wall.) 2. N. glandulosum, 

 (Blume.) 3. N. confertum, {Kaulf.) 4. N. cyatheoides, 

 (Kaulf.) 5. N. meniscioides, (Willd.) 6. N. gongylodes, 

 {Schk.) (Cyclosorus, Link.) 1. N. unitum, R. Br. 8. N. 

 aridum, Don. 9. N. deltoideum, (Siv.) 10. N. molle, (Sw.) 



11. G. Blumei, J. Sm. (Gymnogramma canescens^ Blume.) 



12. N. canescens, {Wall.) Illust. Schott. Gen. Fil. t. 10. 

 Schk. crypt, f. 34. b. Hook. Gen. Fil. t. 4S. B. 



Obs. Nephrodium is a name originally applied by Michaux 

 to a few North American ferns, and has subsequently been 

 adopted by Brown and others for an extensive group of great 

 uniformity of habit, and distinguished from Aspidium by the 

 indusium being reniform; but the genus is now restricted to 

 a portion only of what has hitherto been included, and which 

 are characterized by the venation being more or less anasto- 

 mosed, leaving out the species in which the venules are all 

 free, these being comprehended under the subsequent genus 

 Lastreay which with Nephrodium are exact prototypes of Poly- 

 podium and Goniopteris ; therefore in the absence of the in- 

 dusium there is no character whereby to distinguish them 

 from these two genera. In a few the indusium is said 



