82 



DAN^ACE.E. 



[ACROGENS. 



Order XXV. DANiEACE^.— Dan^aworts. 



AgjTatse, Sivartz. Synops. (I8O61.— Poropterides, Willd. I. c. 66. (1810).— Dauaeacese, Agardh, I. c. 117. 

 (1822).-Marattiaceas, Kaulf. I. c. 31. (1824) ; Borp, I. c. (1824) ; Mart.ic.pl. crypt. 119. (1834) ; 

 Endl.gen. xxxi. ; Link.filic. sp. p. 31. 



Diagnosis. — Filical Acrogens, with nngless dorsal spore-cases, comlined in masses, 

 and splitting irregidarly by a central cleft. 



With all the hahit of Dorsiferous Ferns, these plants are widely distingviished by 

 the pecuhar nature of theii' spore-cases, which are neither hke those of Ferns nor 

 Adder's-tongues. To the 



latter they approach the r-^;^^^^^^ p^^^j.^f^ ¥?-'i^-';^^^^^ii^^^q^^^?. 



nearest, but instead of '^ i/^*"^ °"_- ' ' '. ,\ JL - -k '*v^vt^ 



being connected ■with, 

 and perhaps fashioned 

 out of, the margin of a 

 contracted leaf, they ap- 

 pear sunk ^"ithiu, or more 

 rarely seated upon, the 

 back of the leaflets. The 

 entire want of that elas- 

 tic ring, which, m some 

 state or other so strikingly characterises 

 true ferns, gives them a far 'Stronger 

 title to be regarded as a distinct order, 

 than the triflmg diff'erences whiL-h Imve 

 in the eyes of some botanists elevated 

 little gi'oups of the latter to that dignity. 

 In addition to this, their spore-cases are always united more or less by theu' inner faces, 

 as if in anticipation of the prevaihng tendency among the carpels of flowering plants. 

 For this reason they may be regarded as the highest fonn of the highest AUiance among 

 Acrogens. 



The few known species of the Order are all tropical in both hemispheres. Some 

 form trees. 



The biniised leaves of the fragrant Angiopteris evecta, an arborescent species, are said 

 to be employed in the Sandwich Islands to perfume the cocoa-nut oil. The rhizome of 

 Marattia alata is eaten by the Sandwich Islanders in time of scarcity, according to 

 Mr. Hinds : this would appear to be the Nehai, and not the former plant. 



Fig. LXII. 



Kaulfussia, Blum. 

 Angiopteris, Hoffman. 



Clcmentea, Cav. 

 Dansea, Smith. 



GENERA. 



1 Eupodium, J.Sm. 

 I Marattia, Swartz. 



Myriotheca, Comm. 

 Celant/iera, Thouin. 



Numbers. Gen. 5. Sp. 15. (J. Smith.) 

 Position. — Pol^^odiacese. — Dan^ace^. — Ophioglossacese. 



Fig. LXII.— Danaea alata. 1 . Collection of spore-cases ; 2. sections of the same and spores, 2 of which 

 are highly magnified. 



