76 Linnean Society. [Nov. 3, 



or rather class, was divided by Mr. Brown into four very natural 

 subfamilies. It is only with the first of these {Polypodiacece) that 

 Mr. Smith has more particularly occupied himself in the present 

 paper. The following are the names and characters of the tribes 

 into which he has distributed the Polypodiacece. 



Subfam. I. POLYPODIACE^, R. Br. 



Sporangia globose, or oval, transparent, unilocular, pedicellate, or rarely 

 sessile, opening transversely by the elastic property of a vertical, rarely 

 oblique, articulated ring. 

 Tribe I. Polypodies. Sori punctiform or elongated, destitute of a spe- 

 cial indusium. 

 Examples. — Pol)'podium, Sw. Grammitis, Sw, Hemionitis, L. 

 Tribe II. Acrostichies. Sori amorphous, destitute of a special indusium. 



Example. — Acrostichum, L. 

 Tribe III. Pterides. Sori punctiform, or elongated transversely. In- 

 dusium lateral, attached exteriorly. 

 Examples. — Pteris, L. Adiantum, L. 

 Tribe IV. Asplenies. Sori elongated, oblique. Indusium lateral, linear. 



Examples. — Asplenium, L. Diplazium, Sw. 

 Tribe V. Aspidie^. Sori punctiform, intramarginal. Indusium orbicu- 

 lar and central, or reniform and lateral, and attached interiorly. 

 Examples. — Aspidium, Sw. Nephrodium, Mich., R. Br. 

 Tribe VI. Dicksonie-e. Sori marginal. Indusium lateral, attached in- 

 teriorly, its free margin conniving with the indusiform margin of the 

 frond, forming a calyciform bilabiate cyst. 

 Examples. — Lindsaea, Dry. DavalUa, Sfn. Dicksonia, L'Herit. Tricho- 

 manes, L. Hymenophyllum, Sm. 



Tribe VII. CyATHEiE. Sori punctiform, intramarginal. Indusiiun caly- 

 ciform, or wanting. Receptacle elevated. 

 Examples. — Cyatbea, Sm. Hemitelia, R. Br. Alsopbila, R. Br. 

 These tribes are again subdivided into minor groups, founded upon cha- 

 racters derived from the venation of the frond, the position of the sori, and 

 the form of the indusium. Notholama and Ceratojiteris are referred to 

 the first, Ceterach to the fourth, and Onoclea to the fifth tribes. 



Nov. 3. 

 Mr. Forster, V.P., in the Chair, 



George Stejjhens Gough, Esq., of Rathronan House, near Clou- 

 mel, and Captain D. McAdam, of the Royal Marines, were elected 

 Fellows of the Society. 



