cvi. GENEBA OP PEBNS: 



slightly elevated, bearing long articulated hairs, medial, often 

 more than one borne on the same vein. Involucres none. Veins. 

 simple from a central costa, rarely forked at the base, parallel, 

 patent, plurisoriferous, connivent with the thickened margin. 



Fronds large, coriaceous, pinnate. Trunk or caudex arbores- 

 cent. The chief peculiarity which distinguishes this genus from 

 Alsophila, consists in the reins frequently bearing two or three 

 sori. 

 Ex. : A. blechnoides, Kl. 



Order POLYPODIACE^. Tribe MATONINE^E. 



150. MATONIA, S. Srown, Wall PL Asiat. Ear. i. 16, 

 t. 16. 



PBIOHOPTEBIS, WalUch, olim. 



Sori indusiate, globose, situated at the posterior base of the 

 segments, and consisting of few (5 6) sessile spore-cases ; the 

 receptacles compital, i.e., produced at the point of confluence of 

 several (5 10) anastomosing venules. Indusium umbonato- 

 hemispherical, attached by an axile petiole, round the base of 

 which the spore-cases are inserted, its lower margin much 

 incurved so as to enclose the sori in the manner of an inverted 

 inflexed cup. Veins forked, from a central costa ; venules anas- 

 tomosed where fertile, otherwise free. 



Fronds conjugato-sub-pedately flabellate, the pinnse produced 

 on the anterior or upper side of the divergent branches, rigid, 

 linear, pinnatifid, one to two feet long. Stipes slender, six to 

 eight feet high. Rhizome creeping. This remarkable and ex- 

 tremely handsome plant is quite unlike any other fern, and well 

 deserves to rank as a distinct tribe, which we place in the 

 neighbourhood of the Cyatheinece, on account of the sub-oblique 

 ring of the spore-cases. The indusium is very peculiar, and 

 quite dissimilar ; it is globular, with a stalk from its centre, 

 its lower margin so much inflexed as almost or quite to join the 

 base of the stalk, and thus to entirely enclose the spore-cases ; 

 at length bursting round the base. The change made in the 



