212 



THE FLORIST. 



Hemitelia having the veins uniting in costal arcs, while those of 

 Amphicosmia are free. This is one of the principal groups of Tree 

 Ferns, 



The Alsophilece embrace only two genera — Ahophila and Amphi- 

 desmium, not perhaps very well distinguished, except by habit. The 

 distinctions chiefly depended on are these, that in Ahophila the venules 

 are unisoriferous (bearing one sorus), whilst in Amphidesmium the 

 veins frequently bear each two or three sori. These, too, are mostly 

 Tree Ferns, with much the aspect of the Cyathecc, from which they are 



22. Ctathe/E : Cyathea elegans. 



§3. Alsophile^: Alsophila sp. 



separated by the naked sori. The sori, being round naked heaps of 

 spore-cases, have much resemblance to those of Polypodium. The 

 distinguishing mark relied on, between these two families, is the 

 elevated receptacle of the Alsophilce, but there are cases in which 

 this is less decidedly developed than usual, and in such cases the 

 differences between the two groups are not to be very satisfactorily 

 made out. 



The Schizceinece, those singular Ferns with the apex of the spore- 

 case radiate-striate, are separated into two sectional groups, which 

 contain plants of very different appearance. These are — the Lygodieae, 

 a race of scandent Ferns, and the Schizceece, which are dwarf herba- 

 ceous species. The technical differences which are adopted to distin- 

 guish them, are these : — 



Spore-cases crowned by the convergent striae of the ring, i. e., radiate-striate 

 at the apex — 



Striae united at the apex, without vacant space ; spore- 

 cases attached laterally §1. Lygodiece. 



Striae disjointed, forming an orbicular apical vacuity ; 



spore-cases attached basally $2. Schizceece. 



The Lygodiece consist entirely of climbing species, very unlike other 

 Ferns in aspect, and therefore extremely valuable in cultivation, not 



