FILICES,. 
Sup-kinapom II. 
747 
CRYPTOGAMIA OR FLOWERLESS PLANTS. 
Division I. CORMORHYTA. 
Class I. VASCULARES. 
Sub-class I. Isosporia. 
Order 1. Finices, the Fern Order.—Character.—Herbs 
with rhizomatous stems (fig. 14); or arborescent plants with 
cylindrical stems (fig. 15), usually unbranched, but sometimes 
forked (fig. 204). Leaves, or fronds as they are commonly 
called, arising irregularly from the rhizome 
(fig. 14), or placed in tufts at the apex of 
the stem or caudex (fig. 15) ; almost always 
circinate in vernation (figs. 14, 15, and 297) ; 
simple (fig. 1117, a) or compound (figs. 14 
and 804). Fructification consisting of spo- 
rangia or capsules (figs. 802 and 804), 
collected in heaps (sori), which are placed 
usually on the under surface (figs. 802, sp, 
and 803, s) or at the margins of the fronds 
(fig. 1117, b), or rarely on the upper sur- 
face, or occasionally arranged in a spiked 
manner ona simple or branched rachis (fig. 
804) ; the sor: are either naked (fig. 802, 
sp) or covered by a membranous scale 
(indusium) (fig. 803, s). Sporangia stalked 
(fig. 805, s) or sessile (fig. 1117, b), and 
either annulate (jig. 805) or exannulate 
(fig. 1117, b). Spores enclosed in the spo- 
rangia (fig. 805). (For further particulars 
upon the fructification of Ferns, see pp. 
365-367.) 
Division of the Order and Illustrative 
Genera.—This order has been variously 
divided ; but the more common arrange- 
ment is into three sub-orders, which are 
frequently regarded as distinct orders. 
Hreeatize 
Fig. 1117. a. Barren and 
fertile fronds of the 
common Adder’s- 
tongue (Ophioglossum 
vulgatum). 6. Portion 
of the fertile frond of 
the same, with 2-valved 
distinct, burst sporan- 
gia or capsules on its 
margins. 
These sub-orders are called Polypodier, Danzez, and Ophio- 
elossee. Their characters are as follows :— 
Sub-order 1. Polypodiex or Polypodiacee, the Polypody Sub- 
order.—Fronds circinate in vernation. Sporangia more or less 
annulate (fig. 805), usually collected in sori on the under 
surface or at the margins of the fronds (figs. 802 and 803), 
