138 CHARACTERS OF TRIBES AND GENERA. 
Type. Acrostichum nicotiancfolium, Sw. 
Illust. Hook. and Bauer, Gen. Fil, t. 85; Moore Ind. 
Fil, p. 8, A; J. Sm. Ferns, Brit. and For., fig. 43. 
Ozs.— This genus was founded by Bernhardi in 1800, on 
the Acrostichum quercifolium of Retzius. As a genus it is 
technically distinguished from the preceding by the more 
compound venation, which is similar to that of the genera 
Dryomanes, Dipteris, Cheiroplewria, and Aspidium, which, 
with Gymnopteris, form a very natural group of Ferns, the 
several genera being distinguished from each other more 
by the grouping and position of the sporangia than by any 
great diversity in mode of growth or general habit of the 
fronds. 
The genus consists of about sixteen species, natives of 
the Old and New World. 
* Indian and Malayan region. 
Sp. G. quercifolia (Retz.) (v v.); G. trilobata, J. Sm. ; 
G. taccefolia, J. Sm.; G. Harlandi (Hook) (Q. decur- 
rens, Hook. Fil. Ezot, t. 94); G. subrepanda, J. Sm. ; 
G. semicordata (Bak.); G. Presliana (Hook.). 
** Tropical West Africa. 
G. Gaboonense (Hook. (v v); G. Heudelotii (Hook.) ; 
G. salicina (Hook.) 
*** West Indies and Tropical America. S 
G. pandurifolia (Hook.) ; G. oligarchiea (Bak.) ; G. nico- 3 
tianefolia (Sw.) (v v.); G.aliena (Sw.) (v v.); G. semi- 
pinnatifida (Fée); G. acuminata (Willd. (v v.) ~~ 
Fil., t. 115). SL 
Oss.— Aerostichum variabile, Hook. Sp. Fil. Lët d 
decurrens, Hook. Gard. Ferns, t. 6), is Leptochilus decurrens. 
