CHARACTERS OF TRIBES AND GENERA, 363 
countries of the eastern hemisphere and islands of the 
Pacific, the numerous localities presenting different phases 
of what some authors suppose to be one species only, while 
De Vriese describes no less than sixty species. On judging 
from my examination of authentic specimens from De 
Vriese, in the Hookerian herbarium, I have no hesitation 
in saying they may be safely reduced to one-sixth of that 
number, indeed in the “Synopsis Filicum ” the whole are 
reduced to one species, namely, the original type, A. evecta. 
Judging from the aspect, and some special differences of 
cultivated plants, I consider the following as distinct 
species. The chief difference besides the aspects consists 
in the number of sporangia forming the sorus, which 
varies from a few to many; these numbers appear to be 
constant and uniform in individual plants, but the various 
. intermediate numbers observed in others destroys the well 
marked difference between the lesser and greater numbers. 
In some a narrow fimbriate membrane is observed under 
the sporangia, which is considered to represent an in- 
. dusium. 
Sp. A. evecta, Hoffm. (v v.); A. Teysmanniana, De 
y . Vriese (v v.); A. Brongniartiana, De Vriese (e ArcA 
. pruinosa, Kze. (v v.); A. hypoleuca, De Vriese (v v.) ; A. 
. Miqueliana, De Vriese (v v.). 
Oss.—In Sikkim a plant of A. evecta has been mae 
having a caudex 2 feet 4 inches high and 2 feet 6 inches in 
diameter, the spread of fronds being 24 feet, being ten less — 
than a plant cultivated at Kew. 
214,—Marartia, Sm. (1798). 
Vernation fasciculate, erect, sub-arboroid; each frond 
: rising from between two fleshy stipuleform appendages- p 
(which sometimes assume the character of abnormal ` 
