G6 



GLOSSOPTERrS. 



Type. No. 50G, Museum d'histoire naturelle, Paris. 



Fronds often large, but varying greatly in size, shape, and in the 

 details of the nervation. Fronds elongate-lanceolate, or broadly 

 oval-lanceolate, gradually contracted at the base. Apex acute, or 

 acuminate. Midrib stout, persisting to the apex. 



Secondary nerves numerous, crowded, arched near the midrib, 

 sub-parallel, straight, meshes narrow, very elongate, polygonal, 

 rhomboidal, or trapezoidal. Meshes larger on the borders of the 

 midrib, contracting towards the margin. 



Scale-fronds more or less rhomboidal with lateral angles rounded ; 

 15-50 mm. in length and 15-25 mm. broad. No median nerve; 

 lateral nervation arched, forming elongate meshes. 



The chief characters which distinguish G. indica from other 

 species are the large, lanceolate, acute fronds, with their close, 



Fig. 17. — Glos&opteris indica, Schimper. Enlarged drawing of the nervation 

 of the type-specimen. After Zeiller. x 1^. 



sub-parallel secondary nervation, and transversely elongate areoles. 

 The fronds measure 15-40 cm. in length, and are 2-5- 10 cm. broad 

 at widest part. 



Zeiller 1 has recently given a detailed account of the variations in 

 the habit and nervation of this species. Sometimes the meshes 

 are larger near the midrib than at the margin, and in other 

 specimens they are more nearly equal in size. The course of the 

 nerves is also somewhat less parallel and less regular iu some 



1 Zeiller (96 l ), p. 366; (02 1 ), p. 8. 



