TAB. LVIII. 



GLEICHENIA ALPINA. 



FILICES. 



Gleichenia. JBr., Kaulf. Schismatopterides. Willd. 



Gen. C 



GLEICHENIA 



Capsulce annulo completo striato subsessile 



soris rotundatis 



dorsalibus saepius definitae. Indusium nullum. Frondes dichotomae vel furcatse 





Gleichenia alpina ; frondibus dichotomis proliferis, ramis pinnatis, pinnis pinnatifidis, lobis orbicu- 



latis subtus fornicatis ; adultis denudatis, rachi communi tomentosa, partialibus squamosis. Br. 



Gleichenia alp 



Br. Prod. p. l6l. Spreng. Syst. Veget. v. 4. p. 26 





Hab. In Insula Van Diemen (D. R. Brown) ; ubi in cacumine montis, " Wellington 



»» 



dictse 



legit D. Fraser. 



Stipes erectus, seniicylindricus, flexuosus, 5- vel 6-pollicaris, inferne nudus, superne magis minusve tomentosus. 



Frondes caespitosae, circumscriptione subdeltoideae, primum, ut videtur, dichotomae, demum innovationibus e centro 



dichotomiarum ortis ramis pinnatis compositae. Hi rami iterum pinnati, pinnis pinnatifidis, linearibus, viri- 

 dibus, glabris, nitidis; lobis orbiculatis, approximatis, subtus insigniter fornicatis. Rachis communis tomen- 

 tosa, subsquamosa, partialibus ramisque novellis insigniter paleaceo-squamosis, squamis subpeltatis pulcher- 

 rime reticulatis fimbriatisque, fuscis. 



Capsulce plerumque binae, in singulo lobo, pilis articulatis immixtae, orbiculari-hemisphaericae, oblique annulatae, 



annulo dilatato completo. 



Fig. 1. Pinna a dorso visa. f. 2. Pinna subtus visa. f. 3. Portio pinnae fructiferae. f. 4. Sectio transversalis lobi 



et rachis. f. 5. Capsula pilis immersa. f. 6. Squamula: — magn. auct. 



The dichotomous ramification of this plant is scarcely observable^ except 



th 



young shoots 



for it is remarkably proliferous ; and, the young shoots originating from the centre of the dichoto- 

 mies, the old branches then become pinnated in an opposite manner. In a young state too, we may 

 observe, the whole plant is covered with a dense tomentum as well as with brown scales ; but in age 

 both disappear, except on the under side of the rachis of the ultimate pinnae. So closely are the 

 lobes of the pinnae placed, and so remarkably convex on the upper side, that each pinna seems to be 



- 



formed by two beaded lines. The decp concavity of the under surface is scarcely less remarkable^ 



and 



can 



nly be accurately 



when the scales of the rachis are removed 



d if a transverse 



section be made through the rachis and lobes, the appearance 



if the lobes were jointed upon 



■ 



that rachis : indeed the whole structure of the plant is highly curious, and quite diiFerent from that 

 of any Fern we are acquainted with. The substance of the fronds is remarkably thick, rigid, and 

 coriaceous ; and these are said by Mr. Fraser (to whom we are indebted for our specimens) to form 

 large masses or beds on the summit of Mount Wellington. 



