re by Presl who arranges the whole under no less than ` 
than can be afforded in the present work, and would serve 
- appear to me to be in many cases imaginary or 
944 CHARACTERS OF TRIBES AND GENERA, 
more ideal than actual. But, for the sake of convenience, 
I admit the necessity of following the usual practice of 
authors, and consequently adopt the genera as heretofore. 
In at least two species the fertile fronds are contracted 
into a linear entire or racemose rachiform spike, and upon 
this character Bory founded two genera, Hymenostachys 
and Féea. The first of these has the peculiarity of being 
the only species of Hymenophyllee having anastomose 
veins; and that circumstance, in conjunction with the 
‘contracted form of the fertile frond, induced me in 1841 to 
adopt it as a distinct genus, which I still continue to do. 
In Pea the venation is free, and it consequently differs 
from Trichomanes only by the contraction of its fertile 
trond, so that I did not at the same period regard it as 
distinct; but upon reconsidering the subject, I see no ` 
reason why Féea should not have as good a right as 
Lomaria to be considered a distinct genus, it having the ` 
same relationship with Trichomanes that Lomaria has with | 
Blechnum. S 
In the preceding observations I have mentioned the ` 
chief points of structure employed by authors for classi- - 
fying the species; and, although I have given the subject. 
much consideration, I can find no other tangible characters. 
whereby the number of genera may be advantageously | 
increased. This is, however, different from the view taken 
. twenty-three genera, as stated at page 30. A critical 
= review of these so-called genera would occupy more space 
mo practical purpose. The characters of his new genera 
derived 
from imperfect materials, the same species p in $0 
: cases — under — genera. e 
